Pokemon : Black
by Shuu
Summary: Based upon the comics by Toshihiro Ono and the video games, a story of a young girl which takes place roughly two years before Satoshi begins his own adventure. Facing the trials of Team Rocket and an uncontrollable Charmander, She tries to find her way..
1. Beyond the Rainstorm

"_Pokemon Language conveniently translated into English"_   
_Thoughts_  
Time Break/ Scene Change

**Beyond the Rainstorm**  


The sky lit up briefly, the darkness dissipated from the land for a brief flash, then all melted back into silence and darkness. Rain poured heavily from the darkened clouds overhead, the sky lit up as more lighting bolts parted the sky and rained down onto the ground and flooded the area with an eerie, brilliant light. Thunder rumbled in the distance each time lighting formed, the thunder roared so loudly that one could feel it inside of their chests.

Another flash of lighting caused the sky to light up and illuminated an empty field which rested before a thick forest. A woman ran through the field with great speed, her eyes squinted through the downpour and guided her young daughter towards the shelter of the forest. She whipped her head around, her long mahogany hair flowed in the wind, the woman looked down towards her young daughter.

"Naoko! We will make it to the forest soon!" She re-assumed her young daughter, the girl nervously nodded her head. The girl stumbled along as she tried to keep up with her mother's long strides, the girl looked up towards her mother with frantic blue eyes. Her deep brown pigtails bounced as she ran, her eyes flooded with fearful tears.

"Ma….Mama…!" The girl wailed loudly as she stumbled over her own feet and fell face first into the wet grass below her. The woman turned on a dime and knelt down and helped her daughter back up.

"We must hurry to the woods!" She said in a loud voice, though did not shout to her young child as she continued towards the forest with her daughter right beside her. Each time the lighting streaked across the sky, each time the thunder roared behind them, it grew closer and closer. Soon the storm would be upon them, and the woman was not about to let that happen before they reached the forest. "Hurry!" She shouted back to her daughter.

Each steep brought them closer to the safety that lay just beyond them. Each rumble of thunder brought the storm closer, and it was winning. With her daughter's hand held tightly within hers, the mother was determined to reach the tree line before the storm got the best of them.

"Whatever happens, do not look behind you!" The mother said as she increased her pace, but within her daughter's own stride as well. "Do not let fear overcome you!" The little girl nodded her head sheepishly as she panted loudly, her legs felt like they were about to turn into jelly. Her body had begun to give up on her, but she had to push forward! She had to persevere so she and her mother could be safe!

Suddenly, something tingled in the back of the girls mind. Something warned her…told her to stop in her tracks! Suddenly she stoped, the girl slowly turned her head around to face the storm.

Her eyes widened.

"M…MAMA!!" She screamed loudly as a bright and loud bolt of lighting ran right over their heads.

…Nothing but silence followed.

"…Mama…." A voice whispered through the darkness, a single tea rolled down from her eye.

The sun shone through the leaves on a bright and wonderful spring day. The birds sung sweetly within the trees as they fluttered about and enjoyed this warm day. In the middle of a thicket within the forest rested a girl, no older then fifteen, the shadows of the leaves forming a delicate pattern upon her fair skin. She leaned back on her hands from where she sat upon the grass, her face lifted up to the sky and her eyes closed. Long, straight dark brown hair spilled over her shoulders and touched the ground, two long strips fell over her shoulders delicately. Slowly, the girl inhaled the crisp and clean smell of the forest, exhaling in a contented sigh as her bright blue eyes opened and gazed at the sun between the leaves.

"What a lovely day…" She said softly in a surprisingly deep voice as she raised one of her hands to brush some of her bangs behind her ears. "I'm glad we live by the forest…it's so calm and peaceful here…I can really relax here…" She smiled softly as she flopped back against the grass, her arms folded behind her head and continued to stare up into the trees. A small Pidgey fluttered across her field of vision, which caused her to smile softly. This world, the natural world, with Pokemon living in harmony with humans was truly what the world should be like. It was because of man's continuing encroachment that the Pokemon were restless, attacking people…at least, that's what the girl thought.

"I wish I could stay here forever…" She whispered as she closed her eyes and sighed softly to herself.

"Naoko!" A voice of a young female called out from beyond the forest which broke the peaceful silence. The girl blinked her eyes and turned her head across the thicket towards the direction of the voice. "Naoko!" The voice called again. She hoisted herself up from the ground, the girl hopped to her feet and dusted the dirt and grass from her khaki's, and hurried through the forest and towards the end of it.

"Nao…Oh! There you are, Naoko!" The origin of the voice said, the girl stood in front of the shorter girl. The taller girl's hair was a soft, dark color of brown and fell down past her butt. She smiled down at the girl, "I thought you wouldn't be coming out!"

"Eh heh…you know how I am, Haruka," The black haired girl, Naoko, laughed as she scratched the back of her head, "It's hard for me to tear myself away from the forest…" Haruka giggled softly and folded her hands behind her back, "So, what is it you want?" Naoko inquired.

"Grandfather sent me to inform you that he would like you to come to his lab right away." Naoko blinked and tilted her head.

"Huh? Why's that?"

"Oh, you know how he is!" Haruka laughed, "He wouldn't tell me, just that it was 'very important.' Knowing him, he's probably going to ask you to help out again, like he always does…" To this, both girls laughed, "Though…he seemed somehow _different _this time…I wonder if it concerns your father."

"I wouldn't be surprised…" Naoko said quietly with a sigh and a shake her head, "Anyway, thank you Haruka. I'll go over right away." With a smile and a wave, Naoko walked away from her friend and started towards the dirt path leading to her home, which rested on the outskirts of Pallet Town.

Needless to say, this was a surprise to Naoko. She, being the daughter of Shiji Tsurjion, the famous Pokemon League Champion for three years straight, was often pestered by fans or interviewed by news people and was in the lime light much more then she would like. Most of the time she remained in Pallet Town while he was away at Indigo Plateau, where he was often needed for paperwork or other such things. Sure, a lot of the time she missed her father, but she also respected his decision and was also incredibly proud to be his daughter. In the mean time, she cared for his hundreds of Pokemon that were left behind at their estate, something Naoko really enjoyed doing. Helping them also would remind her of her father, and of how kind he was…all of his Pokemon were raised right, well mannered and were kind and compassionate creatures. Anyone could learn something from him and how he raised his Pokemon.

Likewise, because her father was the League Champion, he was also closely tied to Haruka's grandfather, Professor Oak. It was widely known that Professor Oak was the famous Professor of Pokemon, and the head resource and researcher concerning Pokemon and their dealings. Literally, every Pokemon Trainer in existence knows of him, and the more powerful ones, such as the Gym Leaders, worshiped him like some sort of God. Pokemon trainers came from far and wide to visit Pallet Town, only to visit and speak with the famous Professor. Because of her father, Naoko was a family friend of the Oaks, and often visited the Professor with her father.

At times, Professor Oak would ask her over to help care for the Pokemon within his care, usually while he worked on a big new discovery or on some sort of new invention. It was the only time he ever really invited Naoko over, besides her going over with her Father from time to time. Oak was also known as the starting point for almost all of the trainers in Kanto.

Yet…at the same time, he wanted Naoko to come over. And he said it was important…what could he possibly want? She wasn't anything at all, really, not even a Pokemon trainer! She was one of the few youths that did not wish to become a trainer. Well…probably only half dreamed of becoming one, but Naoko wasn't one of them. She never felt the need to become one, a person who forced a creature to do things and rule over it. It just wasn't her style…

It brought her back to her point…why DID Professor Oak want her to over? With an exasperated sigh, Naoko looked up and noticed that her musings that she had arrived to Oak's large complex and lab. Well…that went by fast. Walking over towards the front door, she knocked lightly on it and waited for a response. There was none, so she knocked again. Still nothing.

As she reached her hand out, Naoko placed her hand on the knob and turned it, and was surprised to find that the door was unlocked. She opened it up and peered inside as she looked about, "…Professor Oak? Hello?" She asked as she stepped inside of the lab and carefully closed the door behind her. Without waiting for a response, Naoko wandered into the lab and gazed about at the clutter and the numerous strange machines that lined the walls. Just as messy as usual…and no Professor in sight! With a sigh, Naoko spotted a clean table with a chair beside it, and wandered over.

Before she could sit down, Naoko tilted her head and gazed at the sole object upon the desktop. It was a small, grayish purple looking device, rectangular in shape with some buttons and a scroll wheel near the bottom of it.

"…A holographic projector, maybe?" She asked herself as she reached for the small object. But why would Professor Oak make one of those?

"Naoko!" A voice suddenly said from behind Naoko, which caused the girl to jump forward as she stumbled forward and crashed against the table as she yelped loudly. She whirled around and turned to face the also startled Professor Oak.

"A…A…Professor!" She exclaimed as she turned red and looked down at her feet, "S…sorry!"

"No, no, it's quite alright Naoko!" The professor coughed as he dusted off his lab jacket, "I shouldn't have shouted like that, I guess I was excited that you actually came! I would have expected you to stay behind, as you'd probably assume it would be another Pokemon sitting job…"

"You know I always show up for them," Naoko laughed, "It's not like I don't enjoy working with Pokemon! But…what is it do you want, if it's not that?" The Professor grinned and walked towards the table and picked up the small item.

"You've already seen it! It is my latest invention!" He exclaimed as he held it outwards for Naoko to see, "I call it the Pokedex. It's a digital interface that logs data on Pokemon in which you've seen or caught. It's the alternative to having to memorize data or lugging one of those huge encyclopedia's with you!" Naoko stared in awe of the small contraption. Incredible! This would be every trainer's dream come true!

"Wow…that's amazing, Professor!" She exclaimed, "I can't believe no one thought of that sooner…every Trainer will want one!" The Professor nodded and smiled.

"However, it's still in its prototype stage," He admitted as he handed Naoko the small object, "The entries are all small and incomplete. While I do know a lot about Pokemon, one thing I do not know is how they act in the wild or their natural personalities before they get taken in by a trainer, or when and how they learn moves…also, it is completely untested." Naoko continued to stare at the glossy surface of the item, then slowly raised her head to look up at Professor Oak. It was an incredible invention, sure…but why her?

"I see…but…why are you telling me?" She asked, "What does it have to do with me?" Oak only grinned brighter as he chuckled loudly.

"It has everything to do with you, my dear! You see, I want YOU to test it out!" He exclaimed with great enthusiasm.

Naoko's face practically fell off as she stared up at Professor Oak, then down at the Pokedex, then back up at him. She was speechless! The great Professor Oak wanted HER to test this item out?! But why?! How…what? She didn't understand! Why would he want her to test it out? Naoko wasn't a trainer, she wasn't a researcher…she wasn't anything special but a normal girl! Why did he want her? With all of the shock, she couldn't get a word out and remained speechless, her mouth slack and hung open. The Professor chuckled again and patted her shoulder.

"I can tell you're quite shocked about this…" He stroked his chin thoughtfully, "Let me guess…you want to know why you, right?" Naoko nodded her head, "This is simple. You're a good, trustworthy woman, and I can sense that you would raise your Pokemon right. You wouldn't be a power hungry trainer like a majority of the trainers out there, you would care for your Pokemon and would rather conduct my research then to become the next Champion." Naoko only continued to stare up at Oak with a shocked expression. "Besides, I've seen how you work with Pokemon as well. You treat them with love and compassion, and some of them almost wish that YOU were their trainers! You're a gentle soul, Naoko, and you treat Pokemon as equals to a Human Being, instead of being some sort of monster. Which, leads me to the real reason why I wish you to do this for me."

"..Wha…what's the other one…?" Naoko asked in a sheepish voice, unable to say much else besides that.

"I have heard a great deal about you, Naoko," Oak said, his face serious, "You have something special about you that no one else has. Even I do not quite understand it, but I envy you for this special talent that you have. Everyone involved in Pokemon will. You see…I have come to realize that you _understand _what Pokemon are saying. You can't just tell my mannerisms like I can…you completely understand them as if they were speaking with human words! Even your father has recognized this, and says that you have since an early age…you are truly gifted, Naoko, and that is exactly why I trust this task to you, and you alone."

Naoko only stared in stunned silence. She? She could understand what Pokemon were saying? She hadn't even realized before her talent with speaking with Pokemon. Yet now, now that it was presented to her, she realized that it was true. She could understand what they were saying…but…it wasn't quite as Professor Oak explained. She couldn't explain how it worked…but…

"So…" Naoko said finally as her eyes trailed down to the Pokedex, "You…want me to help you create entries by studying Pokemon in the wild, and captured, and send you my notes?" Oak nodded his head, "…I see." It took her only a fraction of a second to decide. This could be her chance to do something worth while, instead of sitting at home! She could make a difference, and more importantly, she would be working with Pokemon! With a bright smile, Naoko clutched the prototype Pokedex to her chest, "I'll go and do this for you, Professor!"

"Ah…thank you very much, Naoko!" Professor Oak said enthusiastically as he placed his hands on her shoulders, "I've already completed your Trainer's leave form to be sent to the League."

"Trainer's leave? I thought I was doing field research!" Naoko asked. The Professor laughed and scratched the back of his head nervously. Naoko's face dropped slightly. Of course, there had to be a catch.

"You know how things are out there, Naoko," He said, "Pokemon are aggressive for one reason or another. It's dangerous to leave the city, regardless of how well you can communicate with them! I have to get you a license and give you a Pokemon for your protection." Naoko sighed. He had a point, didn't he?

"Ah…I see…" Naoko sighed, "I guess it can't be helped, can it?"

"Unfortunatly, no," The professor smiled again, "But good can come out of it, right? Anyway…Since the form has already been sent, you'll have your license within two hours…unless you want to wait before you set out, that is!" He seemed tense when he spoke of this, almost as if he wanted Naoko TO actually wait before she set out on her journey. Naoko tilted her head slightly. What could he be hiding?

"Why would I want to wait? This has to be done soon, right?"

"Yes…well…maybe you want to wait for your father to come back?" Somehow, Oak seemed more frantic as he spoke. Yep, he really had something to hide! It was painfully obvious as Naoko smiled.

"I can just send him an e-mail," She responded, "Besides; I don't know when he'll be back…" She narrowed her eyes at him and took a steep forward, "…Why do I get the feeling you're trying to put this off for some reason?"

"Err…N-nothing, nothing at all!" Naoko sighed with exasperation and rubbed her temple, then continued to stare up at Oak as a glare formed on her face. Obviously, he wasn't going to fool her, not by a long shot!

"Come on, Professor! What is it?!" Yep, no way to turn back from THAT cold stare! With a sigh of defeat, Professor Oak hung his head. Well, might as well get on with it. As he put his hands into the pockets of his lab coat, Oak turned on his heel and began to walk down a hallway of his lab, towards a large area in which he often set trainers out with their beginner Pokemon. There was a large object in the center of the room that often housed four Pokeballs - each consisted of either a Squirtle, a Charmander, a Bulbasaur or an Eevee - each clearly marked and a large, clear panel of glass over the center, which usually housed extra's or alternative starters, incase more trainers should show up then the four at any given time. Currently, all of the slots were empty.

"I hate to admit this, but I am currently waiting for some new starters to be born," He sighed as he walked over to the machine, "I do have one left…but I was saving it to give it to your father. Unfortunately, it's the only one I have left…" Naoko peered over towards the cylinder shaped machine. Oak typed in a code as the glass slid open, reaching down and grasping a Pokeball with a bright yellow "WARNING!" sticker across the top, complete with diagonal black lines, a la police tape. Something seriously bad must be contained within. Naoko could feel her fingers begin to tingle in anticipation of what could possibly be contained inside of that harmless looking sphere.

"Why's that?" She asked as she looked at the sphere, feeling somehow uneasy by the giant sticker warning people of the contents. Despite the uneasy feeling in her gut about this, Naoko remained curious as to what was contained inside.

"You see…" Oak explained, "This is a Charmander that I've had for a while. It is a very unique specimen. It is, already, several inches taller then it should be and 23 pounds heavier. It is incredibly powerful for such a small, low level creature, a one in a million chance of it being born as such…" His voice was quiet and grave as he spoke with utmost seriousness in his voice, something that was rare in the goofy Professor. As if it hadn't whacked her in the head enough, Naoko felt her stomach begin to twist into knots. Hoo boy, this was going to be an interesting ride!

"And the problem is with that?" She asked again and took a tentative steep towards Oak, her hands slowly balled into fists as she curiously store down at the Pokeball. What could possibly be in it that was so bad…?

"…Despite its strengths, it was born with an incredibly sour personality," Professor Oak admitted as he and shook his head, "It is extremely temperamental and even I have trouble handling it. It won't listen to a thing I tell it to and is very ill trained. I was going to save this for your father, as he would have the abilities and expertise to properly train and discipline it. Unfortunately, this is the only Pokemon I can give you at this moment…this is why I wanted you to wait. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner - but I had hoped that you would wait so this wouldn't happen. I guess I can't blame you though, you _do_ possess your Father's stubbornness."

"It's alright, Professor…" Naoko said as she reached out, her fingers encircled around the Pokeball and examined it. Now she was curious. Now she had to see what was in it! Darn her natural born curiosity! Darn her stubbornness! She'd need to thank her _Father _for that later.

With a sigh, she gently grasped the small Pokeball within her hands, Naoko gazed down towards the small object and gently hit the button on the front, causing it to expand, and then hit it again to view the statistics of the Pokemon inside. Her eyes trained down the green, holographic screen as they slowly rolled by her field of vision. Hmm, good health, and incredibly high stats for being so young, and only level five! It was at least twice as strong as a normal Charmander at that level! Absolutely incredible! And the Professor wanted to give him away…? With a sigh, Naoko closed the menu and shrunk the ball down and gave a sigh as she continued to stare at it. Regardless of the Oak's strange urge to give up this fine specimen away, Naoko had to consider the options for a moment. After all, he did still offer it to her! She could either wait until a starter Pokemon could be born, which could take anywhere from a few days to several months, or take the risk with this dangerous and ill-tempered Pokemon. It was a hard choice to make…but, Naoko had to have faith in herself, right…?

"…I'll take it." She whispered. Professor Oak's eyes widened and he took a steep backwards. Despite his initial shock, he wasn't too surprised - like father, like daughter.

"Are you sure?!" He asked franticly, "I don't think you could possibly handle such a reckless Pokemon! He's too powerful and it will be impossible for you to control him!"

"…I won't know until I try, right?" Naoko said in response as she lifted her head up to look at Oak with a smile on her face, which masked her own nervousness, "I have learned some things from Father…besides, I'll be able to give it something it hasn't had…a warm heart. I don't want to force it to do anything. I want to be its friend, not its trainer or master…"

Oak realized that Naoko had far more potential then he realized with those words. An inexperienced trainer, who had the will to take on a Pokemon that even professional trainers wouldn't be able to handle! She was willing to give it the best she had, even if it could easily hurt her or run off. The risk was something she wanted to take on, regardless of the reprecautions attached to such a hasty act. But clearly, Naoko had thought about this well enough, and Professor Oak couldn't help the small smile on his face. She had the will to take it on - and treat it as her equal, even though it most certainly would not treat her the same way. She was strong…but would she be strong enough for the Charmander?

"Very well then," Oak said as he adjusted his tie and tried to hide the small smile on his face in a feint to seem professional, "I offer this Pokemon to you, Naoko. I want you to take good care of it for a while…but, it's not permanent." Naoko looked up to meet Oak's eyes, confusion within their blue depths.

"Why not…?" She asked.

"Well…" The Professor coughed, "It is going to be very hard for you to handle it. I doubt you'll be able to train it normally. This is just a temporary set up until I can get another starter ready for you, and until you can pass it off to your father for real training."

"I see…" Naoko sighed and held the smalls sphere to her chest, "Thank you, Professor. I'll go home and get ready, then." Professor Oak nodded his head.

"I'll be on stand by for your License to arrive in the mean-time!" He smiled, "When you're finished, you can go ahead and come back here. I'll make the final preparations once you arrive."

"Alright. I'll see you in a few hours!" With a smile and a wave, Naoko walked out of the lab with her new Pokemon in tote.

It had been a little over an hour since Naoko returned home and began to prepare everything for her inevitable long journey ahead of her and began to stuff it all into her hiking backpack. This would be quite the adventure - farther then she had ever hiked before, but it was a journey she had the will to take. This was it - the push she needed to start a new life, to become who she really would be! Was it destiny, or just some form of coincidence? No matter. Naoko sighed and dropped her backpack on the floor.

"Okay…" Naoko stood over her stuffed backpack with a list of necessities, "I have food, cooking tools, a trenching tool, matches, some lighter fluid just in case, lots of changes of clothing, warm clothing and rainy clothing, my tent and a sleeping bag with pillows…soap, shampoo, a flashlight and spare batteries, and a lamp with spare batteries as well…and money for more food, Poke-chow and any other necessities, and my first-aid kit" Grinning, she looked up from her bag, "Alright, I think I'm all set…!" She paused and suddenly remembered, "Oh, right!"

Walking over to the coffee table in her living room, Naoko reached down and picked up some books she had set aside, as well as the prototype Pokedex. Carefully placing them in her full backpack - with some effort - she returned to the coffee table and picked up her cell phone and her notebook. With some more effort, she managed to stuff the final items into her bag and tied it off.

"Okay! I think I'm all set now…" She announced to herself, "Pop's been informed and everything is ready…I guess I should say goodbye to Haruka." With a loud oof, the small girl hoisted her backpack up against her and slid her arms through the straps and attached it around her waist. It was heavy, but Naoko has gotten used to such things from her various camping trips with her father. Now, for the final preparations…Naoko picked up a sheet of paper with instructions for Professor Oak - or rather, his assistants - about taking care of her father's Pokemon, at least until Shiji could find someone to watch them professionally.

As she picked up the small Pokeball containing her first Pokemon, Naoko attached it to the belt at her waist and walked up to the mantle. Her usually cheerful blue eyes turned somewhat dark and almost sorrowful as she stared at a picture in the center of it.

The picture was taken at her house many summers ago, by the worn wooden fence that surrounded the small cottage. A young girl sat on top of the fence, perhaps about three years old, which was probably Naoko as a child. Her black hair was pulled up into high pig-tails that ended just past her shoulders, one of her blue eyes closed and her head tilted. She wore a bright, happy smile upon her face. To the right was Naoko's father, Shiji. It was obvious where she got the eyes and the hair color from, Since Shiji poofy black hair that was almost wispy looking, with long bangs which ended past his chin and the remainder of his hair cut slightly shorter, against his neck. He too was smiling and had his hand around Naoko for support, his piercing blue eyes gazed down at her through a pair of oval frame glasses. The final person in the portrait was the one Naoko was looking forlornly at, a woman with long, bone straight mahogany hair which spilled over her shoulders and fell down past her waist. She smiled brightly and leaned her head against Naoko's own, her brown eyes glistened in the sunlight. The woman wore an orange bandana around her neck…and most curiously, Naoko wore one around one of her wrists as well. Some sort of an attachment to a memory from long ago?

"Goodbye, Mother…" Naoko said sadly, then smiled softly at the picture, "Please guide me on my journey…" Blowing a kiss at the picture, Naoko exited her home and began to trek towards the Oak home, which sat just outside of the Professor's lab.

By the time Naoko arrived to the extensive Oak labs, the Professor had finished making the final preparations for her departure into the vast unknown. He had readied five starting Pokeballs for her use, and gathered a few other things, like potions and antidotes, for her use. Once the young girl sat down her heavy backpack against the wall, she stretched out and flopped down on a couch in the sitting-area.

Professor Oak wandered into the room and placed the Pokeballs down on the table, and turned to face the young girl, "Since I already pre-sent your application, your license should arrive pretty soon." Naoko nodded her head and reclined slightly. Her eyes trailed up to the ceiling above her as she sighed. It had begun to sink in with her - the whole experience. She would leave home for the first time on her own, on a new adventure and do something that would truly be important. Naoko would experience things she had never experienced before; more over, the realization hit her like a twenty pound brick that she really hadn't the foggiest as to what she had to do.

"…You know, Professor…" Naoko sighed as she looked down from the ceiling and over to him, "As much as I know about the Pokemon themselves from taking care of them for so long…I actually don't know a thing about training or doing anything like that." The Professor flopped down onto the opposite couch and stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"I would think you would have learned something from your father." Drat, he had hopped she would know about this whole shtick! But, apparently he got his hopes up too high - after all, Naoko had never shown any previous interest in actually becoming a Trainer. Ah well, it couldn't be helped, right? Naoko laughed nervously and looked down to the side.

"I know a little…but not enough, really…" She sighed and closed her eyes as she inhaled deeply and let out another sigh, "I never had an interest to learn. I didn't ever think that I would be doing something like this in my entire life. While I love Pokemon themselves…it's the training that I don't have any interest in doing…" Oak nodded his head and continued to stroke his chin thoughtfully. It was just as he thought. Well, best to start from the basics! With a pop of his knuckles, he rose to his feet and grinned down to her.

"Well then…I guess I'll have to teach you some of the tricks of the trade," He laughed and looked towards Naoko, "First off, you should know how to capture a Pokemon. It's fairly easy, actually, though a majority of it is luck and chance. Essentially, you must weaken a Pokemon - a Pokemon with status effects will be easier to capture - enough so that it won't resist entering the Pokeball as much. Once it's weakened, throw the Pokeball at it and, hopefully, it will be captured. It's not completely guaranteed, you won't always capture it!"

To the idea of capturing a Pokemon, Naoko wrinkled her nose. This was one of the reasons why she didn't want to be a trainer…they forced a Pokemon into a small, round object against its will and become its master. The very thought made her feel sick to her stomach. Pokemon needed to be free! At least, that's what she always thought. "Isn't there another way to capture them…?" She inquired nervously. There was always a plan B, right? With a shake of his head, Professor Oak responded,

"Unfortunately, no," He said with regret in his voice, "It is very hard to coax a Pokemon into a ball on its own. Very few Pokemon are willing to do such a thing, which is why it must be weakened. If it is not weakened, it will fight and struggle within the Pokeball, and can break free."

"…I see…" Naoko drooped and hung her head down as she looked at her hands. Could she really bring herself to do such a cruel thing to an undeserving creature? There had to be another way…there just had to! She would find a way…at least, she hoped she could. Wait a second…something just dawned on her! As she up from her lap, Naoko looked at Professor Oak square in the face.

"…If that is true," She said quietly, "Then it's possible for a Pokemon to break free of the Pokeball if it doesn't want to remain there?" The Professor was taken slightly aback by the comment and blinked his black eyes a few times. No one, in his entire career as a Pokemon Professor, had even brought the idea up!

"Well..err…" He started, scratching the back of his head, "I guess it IS possible, though I haven't heard of it occurring though." Naoko blinked again as she looked down to the Pokeball located at her waist. This Pokemon contained within it had an ill temper…it probably was not happy with being contained in such a small little thing. Even though she figured the Pokemon would not be too happy to see her, the very idea of keeping it contained within that small sphere made her feel somewhat ill. Slowly, with almost a slight hesitation to her shaken hand, Naoko encircled her fingers around the small object and removed it from its location and gently pressed the button, which expanded its borders. It did not take long for Professor Oak to realize what she was about to do, his color quickly faded from his face as he sprung forward in a fit of frantic hands that he waved in front of him.

"N-no!!" He made a flying dive towards Naoko, "Don't!" However, Oak's aim was less then stellar as he landed flat on the floor in front of the couch, his face mashed against the cold tile floor below him. It was then that he realized something rather heavy with sharp claws stood on his back.

The creature, who had just been released from its 'prison,' stood on the soft flesh of the Professor's back. Naoko recognized its build, though became quickly impressed with its stature. Just as Oak had said, the Charmander was noticeable taller then any she had ever seen before, with a lean, muscular build instead of the common cubby form that the Pokemon commonly possessed. His narrow eyes looked around the room and fell upon Naoko, their deep, royal blue depths glistened with both intelligence, but also a dark anger. Although the look would have made a normal person uncomfortable, the girl didn't seem too phased by it - she was more awestruck at the beauty of the Pokemon, including his deep, red-orange skin color.

"_Who are you?_" The Charmander muttered in a gruff tone that didn't sound all to pleased.

"M-my name's Naoko," Naoko's own blue eyes met the ones of the creature before her, still awe-struck at his form. The Charmander arched an eyebrow at her, "I'm going to be your tr--…No, you're friend."

"Would you please --!" Oak tried to wiggle free from his position, though found it most difficult, especially since the Charmander dug its claws into his soft flesh, "Ow!"

"_I don't need friends, especially with the likes of you._"

"I know you feel that way," Naoko smiled weakly, though could not help to feel slightly hurt at the comment, "But, I want to try. I already like you, Char. I want to be your friend, not your master." The Charmander pulled his eyes away from hers and snorted a puff of smoke angrily as he stepped off of Professor Oak's back, which released another 'ow!' from the elder man.

"_So you can understand what I'm saying, human?_" The Charmander folded its arms and glanced back up at Naoko, the same dark, angry glint within its beautiful eyes. Naoko nodded her head. The Charmander snorted again and turned his back on her.

"..I do have name. It's Naoko," She corrected as she rose up from her location on the couch, and stood up on top of the Professor's still-recovering back.

"H-hey! I Just got it off of me!! Ow!" He squawked from under her and flailed about. Thankfully, Naoko walked off of him a moment later as she lowered down onto her knees behind the Charmander to look at it on its own level. "Thanks for caring…"

"You have a name now, too," Naoko smiled down at the Charmander, "It's not very creative, I know but…Char just seems to fit you. It's kinda boyish, right? Besides, calling you Charmander would be a little soulless of me…"

"_As if referring me to a shortened name of my species is any less soulless?_" The Charmander snorted angrily and looked over his shoulder to Naoko, "_You're no better then the rest of the humans! Always trying to poke and prod at me, to control me…and more over, you're weak. How am I to become strong if I'm stuck with a weak little girl like you?_" Those harsh words struck home as Naoko's face dropped, her expression changed into one that was slightly hurt and sad. Slowly, her eyes looked down to the ground as she sighed. Although she hadn't seen his temper yet, the foul personality really did shine through, and quite well at that. With another sigh, she looked up again and smiled at the Charmander, which she had named Char.

"I know," She said with a small amount of hope in her voice, "But, the only way _I _can become stronger is though experience. I want us _both _to grow and become stronger - together. I know, I'm not the ideal trainer for someone as magnificent as you are, but I still want to try. Will you put up with me for a while? I'll try my best, and maybe we can learn something."

Oak finally managed to sit up in time to listen to Naoko's little speech. Ah, he knew that girl had potential from the very first day he noticed something different about her! Despite her own lack of self-confidence, she had a good heart and was willing to put up with one of the most difficult Pokemon he had ever worked with. Maybe, just maybe, she might be able to change Char! _Well done, my girl! Well done._

Char, however, was less then impressed. Although it was the first time someone had treated him less like a monster meant to be controlled and more like a person, kindness was simply not enough to gain strength. Even though Naoko wanted to try her hardest to be a good, strong trainer for him - it wasn't what he _wanted._ Did he have a choice? Maybe. He was a stubborn old mule that needed to be beaten with a hard stick in order to budge from his position. With another smoke-filled snort, he folded his arms across his chest and turned to face the girl.

"_Words aren't enough! You should know this!_" He hissed between his fangs, _"I won't be convinced that you can make me the best that I could possibly be! Only the strongest trainer could do that! A poor **rookie **like yourself won't prove any more useful to me then a shelter with a giant hole in the roof during a rainstorm!_" He planted his feet square into the ground and glared up at Naoko as flame began to flow from his mouth as he continued to speak in his language, "_Give me one damn good reason for me to go with you, petty little girl!_" Char breathed out a small spark of flame from his mouth to prove his point, in hopes that he could intimidate the girl - to make her afraid of him so she would just leave and let him be.

Naoko was taken aback. For a while, she simply sat there and store down at Char with a shocked expression on her face. But, there was no fear within her eyes. The display was a bit of a shock to her, but she was unafraid. Truly, she was unlike most other humans he had ever encountered before…

It took a few seconds for Naoko to close her eyes and sigh, a small smile upon her face. When she opened her eyes, she looked down into Char's own. "Because," She said with confidence, "I want to be your friend. I don't want to control you, I don't want to be your master. I will let you fight and train as you please…you can do whatever you want, as long as it doesn't endanger you. You'll be free - and if you come with me, I promise, you will meet a trainer worthy of helping you." Her smile broadened as she looked at the stunned Charmander's face, "My father…he will help you become what you've longed to become. He's been the champion for three years straight…I'm sure he's strong enough for you. But, for the moment, you'll come with me. It's only for a little while…so won't you come? I'll try my very best to suit your standards! Please, Char?"

Any normal being would be touched by her words. Any being that had a heart would be moved, the desire within them to do as she asked so strong that they couldn't possibly refuse. But, Char was hardly normal. His heart was surrounded by a strong stone barrier, that no word, no kindness, no emotion could breach. To him, Naoko was nothing but a sappy, sentimental girl who needed to grow up and learn that there was more to getting people to like you then just saying a few kind phrases. She was overly emotional, and he didn't like that. That was a sign of weakness to him, and weakness was one thing he couldn't tolerate. Still, regardless of the fact that he didn't care for this girl, it didn't mean he did not listen to her. So, she was offering to…baby sit up, so to speak, until they encountered the Champion and then he would be passed over to him. That posed two choices for the angry Charmander. The first choice was to stick with this sappy, weak little newbie until he got handed over to someone who would make him great. The second would to sit around the lab until another opportunity presented itself, while he would be poked and prodded constantly. …Ugh, why the hell was he even considering _that_ an option?! With a disgruntled sigh, he snorted a puff of smoke and rolled his eyes in a manor that most parents with teenagers were familiar with.

"_Fine._" Naoko's face lit up at the response as she leaned forward and, abruptly, hugged the Pokemon. Although she was pretty happy at the moment, Char's face twisted into one that was both angry, and also quite uncomfortable.

"I'm so happy!" She exclaimed as she hugged him tighter, the Charmander growling darkly as smoke puffed from his mouth.

"_Let. Go. Of me._" Evidently, he wasn't a touchy-feely kind of a creature. Naoko flushed and hastily removed her arms from him and laughed nervously. "_Don't ever do that again._ …_Come to think of it, don't even **touch** me again!_"

"S-sorry…" Naoko bowed at her hips a few times to signify her apologies to him, "I'll try not to." She still had to get used to this Pokemon's particularly dislikeable personality. Sure, she had her run ins with mean-spirited and aggressive Pokemon, but this guy took the cake! He was power-hungry, didn't want anything to do with anything that might be 'below' him in any sense of the word…heck, he didn't even like it when people touched him! Still, Naoko remained naive about the situation and remained firm on her believe that if you loved something and treated it with respect, the same emotions would be reflected back. But boy, she was in store for one hell of a ride with Char!

A loud beep came from the other end of the sitting-room, to which Professor Oak perked up and trotted over to a machine, which had just spat out the confirmation of Naoko's registration, and her Trainers License. With a grin, the Professor picked the articles up and walked over towards the duo.

"Here we go, Naoko!" He said as she looked up to him, "Here's your license. Keep that in a safe spot!" Naoko rose to her feet and took the license and placed it into a pouch on her backpack. "So, you're all ready to go?" She gave a nod of her head, "Alright! I wish both of you the best of luck. Be careful, and have a safe journey! Be sure to send me your notes whenever possible, Naoko!"

"I will, Professor," She smiled at him as she hoisted her backpack up onto her shoulders and clicked the belt in place, "I guess this is goodbye for a while…so, take care of yourself, and remember to send someone to go look after my pop's Pokemon!"

"Will do!" The Professor held his hand out and gently shook her own, "Be sure to open up a bank account when you get to the next city. Your salary won't come in straight away - it'll be about a month. But be ready by then, okay?" Naoko nodded, "Alrighty! Good luck to you!" With a wave, the Professor watched as Naoko walked towards the door and off to a new adventure, the cranky Charmander followed suit after her. Once the duo had left the building, Oak sighed and watched them walk down the dirt road towards Route One. "They'll need it. If you are to ever succeed, Naoko, you have to gain Char's trust…" 

Naoko could not help the bounce in her step as she walked along the gravel road below her feet. Her eyes were bright and a song played in her heart. She was excited! She couldn't help but to walk this way or feel so happy. Even though she enjoyed her life at home, the idea of actually getting out there and doing something that would eventually benefit others made her feel warm and snuggly on the inside. This was what she needed, the direction she needed to take! And with her loyal Pokemon at her side, nothing could stop her!

…Except, of course, for the so-called 'loyal Pokemon.'

Char aimlessly wandered behind Naoko's peppy step, and did not appear to be as thrilled or excited as she was about the whole adventure. Sure, he had agreed to go along with her, but only because he'd rather be stuck with an emotional newbie then get tested upon by that weird Professor. He lacked the enthusiasm as his Trainer shared - in fact, her entire step made him feel nauseous. Absolutely sickening! This girl was so sicky-sweet that her insides were probably filled with chocolate! Char had to contain himself from either burning her or wanting to laugh out loud at her annoyingly giddy bounce. Jeez! Of all people he got stuck with…

Naoko slowed down her pace and stopped as she looked behind her back and down at Char as he approached her. A smile was on her face, almost as if she was trying to convince herself that he was, indeed, her bestest friend ever. Once he lined up with her - which he wasn't too pleased about - she walked at his pace while she smiled brightly down at him. It was like she tried to get _his _insides to turn into chocolate pudding, too!

"So Char," She started, "What's your family like?" Char snorted in response and averted his gaze from the glittery girl.

"_I would prefer if we traveled in silence, child._" Jeez, he really was no fun! Naoko pouted slightly at his response.

"Aww! Can't you at least _try _to like me? Its better then being rude!"

"_I have nothing to say to you. Just walk and don't talk anymore._" Considering her previous door-mat personality, Char full well expected her to pout and remain silent for the rest of their trip. But, as he would learn later on, it was that he shouldn't ever expect Naoko to react the way he wanted her to. This was one of those cases, as she responded with a laugh and a pat on his head, which only made him feel more agitated then he already was. "_And what the hell is so funny?!_"

"That you're trying to hide the fact that you're enjoying yourself!" Naoko giggled, which only caused more sickening knots to twist in the Pokemon's stomach.

"_I...I am not!_"

"Don't lie! I can tell these things," A bright smile was flashed down towards him, "You're happy to be out of that lab! I know, I would feel restricted too if I was kept in there." Char glared up at her and snorted angrily, a soft ember escaped from his nostrils as he did so. "Besides, if you really dislike it _that _much or keep on complaining, I _could _always just put you back into your Pokeball!" Another girlish giggle that sent chills down his spine. Lovely! Now she was threatening to imprison him if he didn't behave!

"_What ever happened to that 'you can do anything you want!' thing?!_" He demanded as he stopped walking and pointed a claw accusingly at her, "_I could have sworn you said No POKEBALLS!_" Naoko giggled again. Oh boy, that was not a good sign. She turned to face him and waved a finger down at him.

"Now, now, I didn't say that!" Yep, this was not going where he wanted it to go, "I just said you could be free, as long as it doesn't endanger yourself. If you keep up the complaining, you'll be in danger of me throwing something random at your head." Char was taken aback at this comment. This girl…it was like she was someone different then the doormat in the lab! How could she had gained such confidence?! "I don't like the idea of Pokeballs. I really, really don't want to put you back into one, but I don't like it when people complain or gripe about things they don't like. You're with me now, and if you want to become stronger, you'll stay with me! Got it?" Char gave a weak nod of his head, "Alright, then! So, you're going to have to suck it in and deal with me, okay? And try not to be rude. I don't like rudeness, either. I know you don't like me, but at least pretend you do. Who knows? Maybe we could actually be friends!" God, that word again! Why does she keep on using it?!

"_Friends?_" Char snorted, "_I don't need friends!_" This was met with a Pokeball rammed into his field of vision. The Charmander almost let out an eek sound and took a step back from it.

"I don't want to use this, Char, so please," Naoko removed it from his face, "Just calm down and lets see a smile! I'm sure you'll look handsome with one!" Jebus Lard, this girl was so full of marshmellowy goo, Char was surprised it didn't leak from her ears!

"_I don't--_"

"Ah-ah!" Naoko scolded as she wavered the Pokeball with an oddly giddy grin on her face. With another disgruntled sigh and a mumble of something incoherent, Char opened his blue eyes and forced the dumbest smile he could possibly muster, complete with an upper lip that quivered in a lame attempt to keep it up. To say the least, he looked rather silly.

Naoko burst out laughing at the bizarre smile that her little Pokemon had flashed her. Who wouldn't?! With someone as serious and angry as he was, he probably had never smiled once in his life! And now, there he was, with a smile on his face that would make even the toughest of people crack up! Though, Char's fakey smile quickly faded as he, once again, was getting laughed at. Not one of the things he enjoyed people to do to him!

"_Stop laughing!_" He protested with a stamp of his foot any teenager would be proud of, though Naoko's hysterics did not cease one bit. Angrily, Char opened his mouth and shouted "_Stop!_" As flame burst from his throat and flew towards Naoko with intent to burn. That certainly got her to shut up, as she leapt backwards just enough that some of her hair got singed on the way back. Her eyes widened as she looked down at him, and Char store at the puff of smoke that the flame had left behind. "_O-ops…_" He muttered, almost as if he was in …shock that he actually released flame upon his so-called master.

She could tell he didn't intend for that to happen. Naoko's eyes narrowed as she looked down at Char, who, surprisingly, seemed to look sorry about the whole mess. Before, she noticed, he often puffed smoke or small sparks of flame when aggravated. No wonder why the Professor was hesitant about him…not only was Char of foul manor, but he also appeared to have no control over his own power, especially when angered. The task at hand with raising Char was now more difficult then it would have been previously. How could she possibly help him gain control over his own powers, when she had no idea how to do so?

"_Oh god, please tell me you're not going to put me back in there for this!_" Char protested as he pointed a claw towards the object in Naoko's hands, "_I didn't **mean** to spit out the fire, it just happened!_" He stopped when he noticed that he sounded almost apologetic, and quickly righted himself to uphold his bad-boy persona, "_N-not like I don't CARE if you get burned or not, I just don't want to get shoved back in that cramped little space!_" Char tried to save face, but figured he only dug his grave deeper with that comment. With a sigh, he lowered his head down and prepared to be sucked back into that little void that was the Pokeball. Sure, it provided some comfort, but it was more like a prison then a spa. So he waited with baited breath for that weird lurching feeling that came forth whenever he was pulled in or out of a Pokeball, but the feeling never came. Nervously, he opened one eye to look up at Naoko, who store down at him with pity in her eyes. "_What's with that look…?_"

"It's just that…" Naoko said in a quiet voice, "It's just that you…you can't control your powers very well, can you…?" Well, damn. She noticed…Char snapped a glare up towards her that could only say 'don't you mention it again,' though she could see a sense of weakness or defeat within his eyes. He believed himself to be weak because he had little control over himself…was that why he wanted to become strong? "Char, I--"

What would have been a touching or emotional moment for the both of them was abruptly cut short when a young-boys voice could be heard from the direction of Pallet Town…"Naoko!!" He screeched, the duo turned their attention towards the origin of the voice.

Over the horizon rushed the figure of a small boy, probably only about seven or eight, with sloppy and unevenly cut black hair which hung in his large, googly brown eyes. The boy rushed towards Naoko and Char, a large, ratty-looking stuffed Pikachu dragged along behind him, it's poor little head bounced and banged against the rocks as the boy ran. Naoko's face quickly twisted into fear as she rushed towards him.

"Satoshi!" She exclaimed as the two meet halfway, though didn't get another word out as the boy latched onto her and promptly dropped his stuffed animal.

"Why are you leaving?!" He protested, "I don't want you to go!"

"_Who's the brat?_" Char snorted and received a cold, hard glare from his Trainer as a response.

"Hush!" She commanded and looked back down to the boy, Satoshi, "What are you doing out here, Satoshi?! You know it's dangerous outside of the city!"

"But I don't want you to leave!" Satoshi whined in the most annoying voice he could possibly muster, "How will I learn how to be the best Pokemon trainer _ever_ without you around?! Or without your daddy! I don't want you to go! Please don't go…!!"

"_Well, isn't he a lovely little prat?_" Char grumbled as he eyed Satoshi, but this time he didn't get a response back from Naoko, so he only folded his arms and wandered to the side of the road, ready for whenever Naoko told the little SoB off and continue on their way.

"Satoshi…" Naoko let out a discontented sigh, "Not everyone is going to do what you say. I admit, I am going to miss this town and you, but everyone has to find their _own _way to do things. I can't always tell you what to do, and you can't always allow people to do that. You need to make your own choices and be your own person. This happened suddenly, but I know this is what's best for _me_, and if I stay home, I'm missing a great opportunity in my life. This is what _I _need, and if you don't like it, then I'm sorry, but you'll have to live with it. Just be patient and you'll obtain your goal. Please head home before your mom worries." Satoshi let out a loud sniff as his grip only tightened on the older girl. "Satoshi, please! I can't stay behind!" Her voice had risen from the previous calm tone into one that was more harsh and demanding, yet still, she did not yell at him. That tone of voice would only complicate the current matter.

"No!!" Satoshi's grip became iron-clad around Naoko's waist, "I won't let you go!"

"Satoshi--!"

"Don't go!!"

"…_And I thought kids his age didn't throw tantrums anymore…_" Char muttered, more to himself then to anyone else. From the looks of it, the googly-eyed kid was just about to throw himself down onto the ground and throw a hissy-fit about Naoko's departure and his lack of a girl who let him play with Pokemon from time to time. Char trailed his eyes up to Naoko, who looked about ready to slap the kid across the face; quite frankly, Char partially rooted for her to do so. The thing he hated more then rookies were annoying little brats, and boy, that kid took the cake! Just when he saw Naoko drop to her knees and hoped that she would smack the boy so hard his mother would cry, yet _another _voice called from Pallet Town.

"Satoshi! Get back here!" This time, it was Haruka, who came dashing down the dirt road with her skirts gathered up in her hands, "I told you not to bother Naoko when she heads off!" Satoshi turned his head to look at the older woman and promptly released his hold on the other girl. He looked up towards Haruka with watery eyes and a large pout on his face.

"But I don't want her to go!" He whined loudly, his arms wrapped tightly around the stuffed Pikachu. Haruka got down on her knees and grabbed him by his ear, "O-Ow! Let go!!"

"Naoko has something very important to do! I only told you because I trusted you would handle it like a big boy!" Haruka scolded, though her voice too did not raise to the level of a yell, "And what did you do?" Satoshi looked down to the ground with his big eyes and sniffed loudly.

"I-I ran off to stop her…" Tears began to form in the corner of his eyes as he raised a hand to wipe them away. Haruka released his ear from her grasp and continued to look at him straight in the eye with a stern expression upon her face.

"And you broke my trust with you on that," She sighed, "Not only that, but you also put _yourself _in danger my running out of the city when you _know_ there are aggressive, wild Pokemon about. I was worried about you! What if you got hurt? Did you even think about that?" Satoshi shook his head, "I didn't think so. Now, come on, lets get back home where you'll get some time out. Okay?"

"O-okay…"

"Now say you're sorry to Naoko." Haruka rose to her feet and crossed her arms as she flashed a look to the other girl that could only say 'I'm sorry for the trouble.' Naoko, in turn, smiled back at Haruka with a nod, which signified that all was forgiven.

"I'm sorry…" Satoshi turned to Naoko and bowed deeply, his hands rung tightly around the Pikachu's neck. Naoko smiled down at him and lightly patted his head.

"You're forgiven," She said softly, "Now, head back home, and I'll be sure to tell my pop to pay you a visit when he comes back, okay?" One would think it was Christmas with the way the boy's face lit up, complete with a brand-new bike under the tree. Satoshi had always dreamed of becoming a Pokemon Trainer, and Naoko's father was on the very panicle of all Trainers!

"Okay!!" With a cheerful grin and a wave, Satoshi and Haruka walked back towards down. Naoko waved back with a smile on her face, and once the two turned their backs to her, she lowered her arm and sighed softly. How she would miss them…she had no idea how long she would be gone, but she knew it would be far too long for comfort. Her home, her friends…they were all back there, and for someone so young, she knew she would feel homesick very soon. Naoko wondered how all of those young Pokemon Trainers could set out on their own at such a young age and manage to pull through, regardless of the odds. This emotion in her heart, this feeling of sadness and remorse, would not be the last time she would long to be in her own bed, in her own sheets, in her own home.

"_Are you quite finished?_" Char asked in an annoyed tone. Naoko's thoughts of her home melted away with that question, as she turned to smile at the Charmander and turned on her heel and began to continue down the path.

"Yeah. Lets go, Char!" With a smile, she broke into a sudden jog and sprinted down the road, her shoes kicked up dust along the way. Char let out a grunt of displeasure, and, despite how he didn't want to follow, quickly tagged along behind her.

Soon enough, he would be her home away from home…


	2. The False God's Justice

"_Pokemon Language translated into English_"

_Thoughts _  
Scene Break/Time Change

**The False Gods' Justice**

It had been two weeks since Naoko had departed from her home in Pallet Town to begin her long journey to assist Professor Oak with field notes on wild Pokemon. This was the longest period she had ever been away on her own, without her father present, so needless to say she had begun to feel a little homesick. But, with Char at her side, she felt somehow comforted, even if he had a rather distaste for her in return. Despite it all, she pressed on with her journey, and in the time she had spent on that first route, she had gathered several pages worth of notes on various Pokemon she had encountered, complete with sketches and anything that might help Professor Oak with his work.

Sitting within the nook of a tree-branch, the brown-haired girl sat with her legs drawn up to her chest, with a notebook that rested upon them as she wrote down some observations she had made to a group of Nidoran's just below her. The sun shone down upon her hair as she glanced up and watched the small rabbit-like creatures bounce around and socialize. It was amazing - one wouldn't think that the Nidoran's interacted with those of the opposite gender, as commonly you wouldn't run into them together in the wild. Yet, here they were! They merrily bounced about the field in a social fit in what could be assumed was some sort of mating ritual - at least, that's what Naoko picked up upon.

Suddenly, a soft noise cooed from her shoulder as she turned to the origin of the sound. The newest addition to her 'team' - and the only one, for that matter! - a medium-purple Ratata, whom she had named Vermin. Naoko had even fashioned the creature a little pink scarf to wear around its neck, which Vermin loved.

Surprisingly, the creature was very affectionate, and acted more like a housecat then the usual personality that was associated with her species. It was a most curious chain of events that played in favor for Naoko's part; most of the two weeks were spent observing Pokemon, but some trainer battles had occurred and Vermin had leveled up to the point to be equal with Char - he had been too stubborn to really participate unless he felt inclined too. Naoko quickly had become tired of Char's stubborn nature and had about given up to try to make him battle, and even the thought of it set an unpleasant feeling of anger in her stomach. Really! He was just impossible some times.

Vermin sensed the emotional change within Naoko and chirped in concern and nudged her head against her Trainer's neck. This brought Naoko out of her 'stupid Char!' emotion as she smiled nervously and scratched the Ratata behind the ears lovingly. She gave a content purr from her throat and further nuzzled against the warmth of Naoko, her short fur tickling the tender skin of the girl's neck. Naoko could not help but to giggle at this and gently rubbed her neck, scooting the small animal away so it wouldn't tickle so much.

After she briefly glanced back to the heard of Nidoran, Naoko allowed her blue eyes to trail down to Char, who leaned against the trunk of the tree with his arms folded. His head was turned down to the ground and his eyes closed, and with a sigh, Naoko deducted he was fast asleep. For the love of Gosh, he slept more then she did! And he wanted to be strong…pssh. It just seemed like he was some sort of a lazy bum! Naoko could feel her frustration grow to the point where her pen shook against her notepad and made angry, squiggly lines on it. If she had been holding a pencil, it would have snapped by now.

Obviously, Vermin picked up on this emotion and chirped at her again, "_Naobi_" A nickname she had given to Naoko out of nowhere, "_What matter? Random angry. Why?_" The fragmented language wasn't so much out of the fact that Naoko couldn't understand her, it was more like Vermin just couldn't talk well. That was how it translated in her mind at least; and the girl thought it was cute. Naoko tried to smile, but found that it was rather…forced when it came out. She patted Vermin lightly on the head.

"Just…thinking about Char," Naoko responded as she leaned back against the thick trunk of the tree, "You know how he is." Vermin gave an affirmative nod of her head.

"_He mean,_" Vermin's red eyes looked down to the form of Char below, "_Vermin no like him. Naobi mad at him, yes?_" Naoko nodded her head and gave an exasperated sigh and closed her eyes.

"I just don't know what to _do_ with him…" Naoko raised her free hand to her forehead as she talked and rested it against it, which shielded her eyes from the rays of the sun, "He won't listen to a word I say, and he just…follows me around with the notion that he'll be turned over to my Pop to get trained. But still! He's _supposed_ to want to get stronger, and all he does is…lounge about all day!" There was an agreeing nod from Vermin in response, "I care for him, and I try to be nice to him…but he's either rude or ignores me. I don't _want _to put him back in a Pokeball, but…if he keeps this up, I may _have _to."

"_Do it! Do it!_" Vermin cheered as she bounced up and down on Naoko's shoulder with a surprising amount of skill and balance. Naoko lifted her hand from her eyes and looked down at the creature - though it strained her neck somewhat in the process. She shook her head and looked down across the field to witness the Nidorans run off into the long blades of grass.

"I-I can't," Naoko's voice was remorseful was she spoke, her eyes down towards the ground, "Apart of me wants to, but…apart of me doesn't want to force him. I hate the idea of Pokeballs, and I don't really want to do something like that do him. I don't think he's deserving of it, but he does make me so mad sometimes! Right, Vermin?" Naoko looked up with a bright smile on her face, though most could tell it was transparent. Vermin, however, didn't notice as she bounced up on Naoko's shoulder.

"_Right!_" Naoko gave a laugh and pet the Ratata softly on the head.

"Well, let's get going!" Clasping her notebook shut and stuffing the pen into the spiral bindings, Naoko pushed herself from the tree branch and gracefully landed on the ground beside Char. Then, with the notebook, she gently whapped him on the head with it to stir him from his slumber. He jumped up with a start and growled slightly as he rubbed his head and glared daggers at Naoko; a look she was all too used to. As she folded her arms, she smiled down at him, "Time to get going, Char! We're almost to Viridian City! Come on, hop to it!" With another groan of discontent, Char pushed himself from the tree and walked after Naoko as she approached her backpack, ready to set forth to re-stock on supplies and explore more along the way.

"Are you sure we should attack her?" A low, quiet male voice spoke through the brush as green eyes watched a figure beyond the foliage, "She's only a kid, and with weak Pokemon to boot."

"A kid or not!" A rich and intense female voice hissed from beside the male voice, "She's still _his _kid, and orders are orders, Horus." A sigh came from her partner.

"I can't help but to feel sorry for her. Just starting out, too…" Slowly, the man stood up as the girl passed by, "Well, she'd feel the taste of Team Rocket, sooner or later. Being the Champion's daughter and all…" Reaching his tanned hands up, adorned with green fingerless gloves, he pushed his long, mid-back length straight black hair away from his shoulders, his fingers gently running through the green highlights that ran through them. Once he was sure that no leaves or twigs stuck out anywhere, he moved his hands down and pushed his oval-frame glasses up against the bridge of his noise. "We best attack her before she gets close to town. We don't want anyone to hear her scream."

"Exactly," The woman smirked as she too rose up from her location, her long black bangs falling in her sharp golden eyes, and she tossed her long, knee-length pony-tail over her shoulder, her hair caught the light and shown with deep blue highlights as it did so. Reaching to her waist, she placed her hands on a Pokeball. "Let's get this done over with; quick and clean! The Boss wants her unharmed…but he didn't mention anything about her _Pokemon_, right?" She only received a nod response as the two hopped from the bushes.

Naoko walked along, her mood elevated from what it previously was, due to her walk down the path, through the grass and dirt. Walking always made her feel better! With a deep breath in and inhaled the scents of Nature - something she loved more then anything - and exhaled it with a warm grin on her face. Although the backpack was heavy, and Char was in one of his 'oh god she is so sicky sweet!' grumpy moods, Naoko remained cheery. And, of course, because she was - Vermin was happy two. Almost like they both forgot that Char was there with his cloud of doom and gloom that floated over his head. Besides, if they kept up their pace, they would make to the Town before sunset! Yes, things looked good right now! Not much could get Naoko down as she begun to hum a song to keep her step energetic and their pace even.

The peace was broken when she heard some rustling from behind her, and turned in assumption that a Pokemon had jumped out of the bushes and wanted to fight her. However, as she turned, she was met with not a Pokemon, but-

"Halt!" Came the voice from the female in the group. Naoko could tell instantly as she looked at the woman and the man that things were not good. Their outfits didn't really help that much, either.

The woman appeared to be the leader of the duo, due to her posture and the fact that the Pokeballs were prepared in her hands. Aside from her fierce golden eyes, she had a commanding presence about her and something that felt very evil as well. A white vest covered her torso with a high-neck collar and the sleeves ripped off, with a top that looked like black sports-bra that conformed around the curves of her breasts at the bottom with a sharp v-neck at the top, outlined in read. A red belt held a short white mini-skirt up with high slits up the sides, followed by a pair of black stockings and thigh-high black leather boots that came to a point at the fronts of her legs. White, baggy gloves reached her bicep and were held up with thin red belts, the gloves came down over her knuckles and faded to black at the tips.

The man casually pushed his glasses up as he prepared a Pokeball in his hand, stationed securely in his dark green fingerless gloves. A baggy black jacket hung over his shoulders with the sleeves rolled up, trimmed with red and had several buckles located on the sides. A tight-fitting white wife-beater top covered his torso and outlined his finely-toned muscles, with a thin red stripe at the top. A simple brown belt held up a pair of baggy smoke-gray pants that tucked into heavy, steel-toed combat boots.

One would assume it was a normal Pokemon battle, but Naoko noticed something on their outfits. Emblazed on their chests were bright red, stylized R's, with could only mean one thing - they were members of Team Rocket, an elite group of Pokemon Thieves who seemed to have their own agenda that no one was certain about. Naoko knew they only wanted one thing - to capture her. As the daughter of the Champion, she had to know about these things.

No sooner did she get a good look at the duo that their Pokeballs flew at her, releasing a duo of Pokemon she knew she could never defeat - a Pidgeot from the man, and a Haunter from the woman. Great! Just when things had begun to look up, too…

"W-who are you?!" Naoko demanded as she took a step backwards. For the moment, she decided to play dumb in hopes that the duo before her truly had no idea who she was, "What do you want with me?!" The woman gave a sneer and folded her arms.

"We're Team Rocket!" She said with pride within her tone, "Anubis!"

"Horus." The man responded as he adjusted his glasses.

"And what we want…" With a snap of her arm, Anubis pointed a finger at Naoko, "Is you!" Naoko took another step backwards and blinked her eyes in an innocent manor. Okay, it probably wasn't going to work, but might as well try…right?

"Why? I'm not of any importance!"

"Stop playing dumb with me, girl!" Anubis yelled as she pointed again at Naoko, "We know who the fuck you are, daughter of the League Champion! With you in our grasp, we can easily barter with her dear old Father to get as many of his Pokemon as we wish! Now, we fight!"

"_Now you're talking my language!_" Char's voice was filled with enthusiasm as he cracked his knuckles and walked forward towards the opposing Pokemon.

"No, Char!" Naoko protested, "You can't possibly de--" However, her warning escaped from her mouth too late as Char released a wave of flame from his mouth towards the duo Pokemon.

"Whirlwind." Horus voice came out as his Pidgeot flapped its wings and called forth a whirlwind that swirled Char's flame into the air and out of harms way. To say the least, the Charmander was not all too pleased with this fact, and prepared to release another wave of flame

"Not a smart move!" Anubis grinned madly at Naoko, "Now that you've initiated the battle, it's time to finish it! Specter, use glare!" Char felt his entire body freeze completely as the purple-colored Ghost Pokemon store down at him, with a goofy grin on its face. The flame that built within Char's mouth died down as he found himself completely paralyzed.

With her comrade in peril, Vermin leapt into action without waiting for Naoko's command to assist in the battle, though with one glare from Specter, she too found herself completely frozen in place. Naoko looked on in horror, then turned her attention up towards the Team Rocket Duo.

"Stop it! I don't want to fight you two!" She exclaimed, "They have nothing to do with this! Just stop it and let them go!" Anubis suddenly threw her head back and roared with laughter that could only be considered manic in some way or another.

"Oh, really now?!" She said through her laughter, "But we're having so much _fun!_ Don't want to spoil our fun, right?!"

"Stop! I'll--"

"Razor Wind." Horus did not wait for Naoko to finish her sentence, though she had no need to as she looked on in horror as the Pidgeot flapped it's wings, and released a whirlwind of razor-sharp blades that shot towards her duo of Pokemon.

"No!!" She cried as she began to run forward as fast as her legs could take her, "Stop it! You'll kill them!" Without any hesitation or any concern for her own personal well-being, Naoko dove forward just as the attack reached her beloved Pokemon and landed square on top of them. The razor blades cut off her backpack and it fell to the ground behind her, and no sooner did she enter the attack did the blades begin to hack and slash into her unprotected skin as she lunged towards her comrades and landed on top of them.

"You fool!" Anubis yelled as she uncrossed her arms, her eyes wide in horror as the blades caused grievous and deep wounds in Naoko's body, blood squirting from the cuts and flying into the air as the attack slashed it's way though. Needless to say, her idea worked well, as she had Char and Vermin completely protected under her body. "Horus! Stop the attack!"

"I can't!" Horus, despite his calm nature beforehand, now appeared to be panicking as well.

"Do _something_!"

"Heru'Er!!" Horus shouted, "Get her OUT of that attack! Now!" The Pidgeot complied and swooped headlong into the attack and with its mighty talons, scooped Naoko up and away from the cloud of sharp blades. Strangely enough, Naoko was still conscious and had a tight grip upon her two Pokemon as she swooped into the air.

"C-char…a-are you…o…okay…?" Naoko asked weakly, as she not only suffered from severe pain, but also a great amount of blood loss. Char only looked up with his deep blue eyes with a solemn expression on his face; his eyes, for once, seemed soft and concerned, but more over, confused as well. She…had saved him? At the cost of herself? Why?! Why would she do such a thing?

"_Why…_?" He asked. Naoko smiled weakly.

"B-be…because…I…I…I c-are about you…" In all honesty, Char had no idea what to say; struck speechless by those words. He had never shown her any sort of kindness or compassion, never had any intention of being her friend, let alone a loyal Pokemon. He had been nothing but mean and cruel to her, and yet in return, he received nothing but kindness. And now, she had risked her own self to protect him…he felt lost and confused. Unable to react and unsure of what to think or say. And so, he simply remained silent as Heru'Er, the Pidgeot, lowered back down to the ground and gently placed the girl and her Pokemon down with it.

"Shit!" Anubis rushed over to Naoko and knelt down, "Jesus Christ! Look at these wounds! God, the Boss is going to _kill _us!"

"We need to get her to a hospital as soon as possible," Horus also knelt down by the girl, "If we don't hurry, she may die--"

"Don't even say such a thing!" Anubis hissed under her breath, "We'll get her through this! If she dies…oh god, the Boss will have our heads!" With her hands reached out, Anubis gently grabbed onto one of Naoko's arms and pulled it away to get the Pokemon out from under her. She easily tossed Vermin up and over her shoulder, where the small rat-like creature received another Glare attack from Specter to keep her from attacking. Then, Anubis grabbed onto Char to haul him out from under Naoko, though he quickly responded with a swift bite to her arm. "Ow! You little fucker!" Anubis flailed her arm about within Char's iron grip, though doing so only caused more injury to her arm. "Let me GO!"

With Char distracted by the tasty arm of Anubis, Horus grabbed Naoko and pulled her off of the Charmander, and quickly called back Heru'Er and released another Pokemon, which turned out to be a massive Fearow. A Pokemon that was obviously quicker then a Pidgeot, and they could utilize better then on the smaller bird-Pokemon. Hastily, he scooped Naoko up into his arms and made it towards the Fearow.

"Hurry, Anubis! We need to get her to safety!"

Char's attention immediately turned towards Naoko, and upon seeing her ready to be taken away by this duo, he released his grip on Anubis. The woman reeled back and held her bleeding appendage and made her way towards her partner with Specter in close tow, releasing a string of curses as she ran. Char's usual blue-colored eyes began to flare up with a dangerous bright green glint to them as he turned around.

"_You will let her go!_" He demanded, though he partially knew that the words that came from his mouth fell to deaf ears, as the Team Rocket duo only heard him saying the name of his race. Neither of them batted their eyes in his direction. Anger took over his senses as flame burned within his throat and, in a burst of strength, released as a wave of flame. Neither of the two Pokemon Thieves noticed until Specter turned about and gasped. Anubis and Horus turned abruptly to see the fire.

"Shit, not good!" Anubis hissed between clenched teeth, and with a nod from Horus, the large Fearow grasped the dynamic duo up within its talons and rose high up into the air, well over the range of Char's flame attack. "That sucker's pretty damn strong for something so low-leveled…" This was not only a comment towards the massive amount of fire the creature produced for just a simple 'ember' attack, but also with the rather disgusting damage he had done to Anubis' arm.

Char remained vigilant, closing his mouth and releasing another wave of flame towards the offending Fearow. It was close in size to a flamethrower attack, and in no doubt was powerful enough to even damage the much higher-leveled Pokemon above Char's head.

Then, quite suddenly, a strong and loud voice echoed through the approaching darkness of the sunset.

"Rain Dance!" The voice, a soft, yet somehow commanding male voice said from up beyond a hill. The skies suddenly turned pitch black as the entire sky opened up, dumping buckets of rain onto the area, and dousing Char's flames. "Barrier!" Before the rain could douse Char's tail, which would have been a very bad thing, a dome of glowing pink energy formed around the fire Pokemon, shielding him from the down pour. All eyes turned towards the direction of the voice, including Naoko's, as darkness started to cloud her vision.

"We are fucked…" Anubis's voice, which was usually very bold and confident, cracked as she spoke, "So very fucked!"

"The Champion…?!" Horus echoed as he store down at the figure with wide eyes.

Standing on the hilltop that lead towards Viridian City, was a figure that all Pokemon Trainers either worshiped, or in the case of Team Rocket, feared. The reigning Pokemon League Champion, for three years in a row, and Naoko's father, Shiji Tsurjion. His jet black hair clung to his face and his square-frame glasses, his bright blue and fierce eyes glaring up towards the Fearow above them, and the offending Team Rocket members. Not to mention that the guy just _reeked _of presence; and all that presence said was that those two Rocket members were going to be in for a world of hurt in a few short moments. Despite his presence, he dressed very simply; a pair of loose blue jeans, a baggy green sweater and a white dress shirt under it. Floating next to him rested the dark silhouette of a mysterious Pokemon – due to the sunset, it was difficult to make out its features – it had almost a cat-like appearance to it, with a long club-like tail and huge, glowing blue eyes. Neither Anubis nor Horus could tell what it was.

"Shadow Ball!" Came Shiji's commanding voice again, the strange Pokemon created spheres of glowing violet and pink energy before it. Spinning in the air as the spheres were formed, the creature smacked them with its large tail, sending the spheres directly towards Val'Ker. The poor Fearow had no time to react as the spheres exploded on contact, sending all three of its occupants cascading town towards the ground. Before Naoko could reach the ground, Shiji threw a Pokeball out, and from it sprang his signature Pokemon – a beautiful and powerful Arcanine named Eienhi – leaping up and catching Naoko on his back. By then, the rain had stopped completely as Eienhi walked over to his Master, Naoko safe upon his orange fur.

Meanwhile, Val'Ker had landed directly on top of Anubis and Horus, squishing them completely as the Fearow had fainted, due to the mysterious Pokemon's attack. They struggled under the heavy weight of the animal, and were unable to do much of anything at that point.

"You two be grateful that my daughter is as injured as she is…" Shiji hissed as he hopped on top of Eienhi's back, "Otherwise, I would have taught you both a lesson." He turned towards Char and Vermin, and gestured for them to come along as well. Vermin quickly complied and hopped up on Eienhi, while Char simply stood there, motionless as he store at Shiji and his two powerful Pokemon. So…that was the Champion Naoko had spoke of…her father…

"Come on!" Shiji urged, "I'll leave you behind with these two morons if you don't hurry! Naoko needs serious medical attention!" Char remained motionless, unable to really react at this point. Shiji was incredibly powerful, and he demanded great respect, even from someone like Char. Just his presence alone was enough to make up for that. However, as Char still didn't react, the mysterious Pokemon gave a mew and teleported over towards Char, and using some kind of psychic powers, lifted him up and placed him on Eienhi's back, before it disappeared into a Pokeball.

"Let's go!" Shiji shouted as Eienhi gave a loud roar and dashed madly up the hill and towards the City, Shiji holding tightly to Naoko. Char looked over towards her unconscious face, blood spilling from her wounds and onto her father's clothing. He looked up at Shiji, who held a serious and a determined expression upon his face, then over at Naoko with deep concern in Char's blue eyes. Slowly, hesitantly, he reached out and lightly touched her forehead, brushing some of her bangs aside.

"_Hold on, Naoko…hold on."_

Inky blackness began to slowly melt away as her senses returned to her. Her head felt foggy and dizzy, as if it was within a daze. Barely aware of her surroundings, she began to take in the sounds around her. People shouting over head, talking, and the feeling of something tugging sharply against her skin in several places. The sound of a constant and steady, slow beeping sound. Everything was in a fog; her vision was blurred, her hearing dubbed down with an annoying buzzing within her ears, unable to fully hear what was being said around her. Her fuzzy, blurred vision slowly looked about her, at the unfamiliar faces dressed in white, their faces covered and their hands against her skin. At the blood that stained their uniforms. At the I.V. drip attached to the back of her hand, filled with deep crimson fluid that flowed into her body.

The smell began to fill her senses as she looked around. She could pick up faintly upon the disgusting, dizzying smell that could only be ammonia; however, this smell alone was greatly overpowered by a secondary smell, and that was the smell of blood and death that surrounded her.

Her own blood.

Suddenly, Naoko became frightened as she looked about frantically, her vision sharpening as she focused in upon the faces of those who worked on her. The feeling of incredible pain that shot through every sensor in her body as their hands tugged and tore into her skin, their needles and thread sewing the horrendous wounds together. Someone hovered over her as she looked around frantically, saying words of kindness to her - but Naoko could not hear a word she said. All she could think about was that she was there, laying on a cold steel bed in a hospital, bleeding so heavily and frequently, that the fresh blood was rapidly brought into her body as the nurses worked to sew her horrible cuts together. She began to panic, near to the point of hyperventilating, which would not have been good for a patient so low on her own blood.

Then, Naoko felt a hand wrap around one of her own as her vision was drawn to the figure who held it. Scales rubbed against her tender flesh and she could feel smooth, cold talons around her hand. Naoko found her eyes looked directly into those deep blue ones that Char possessed, filled with worry and concern as he lifted his other claw up, resting it above the one he had wrapped around her hand. Her heart slowed down. Her mind calmed. The pain slowly began to recede into the back of her drugged-up mind. Char, himself, was hurt as well - a large white bandage was wrapped around his torso, stained with his own blood, but he remained standing firm on the ground, his eyes not leaving Naoko's. He seemed almost…concerned. Everything slowed down and almost came to a halt as she simply store into them. All of the pain vanished; all of the yelling disappeared; the smell of blood left her nostrils for a brief instant as he gently squeezed her hand. It seemed almost he wanted to say something, but was somehow unable to at this time…

"How many times have I told you to get that Pokemon out of here?!" Naoko's reality snapped back into place as she jerked her head up and looked at a rather perturbed doctor over her. The doctor looked down at her and then shouted at one of the nurses that sewed her wounds together, "He's getting in the way!"

"I'm sorry, doctor, but he refuses to leave!" One of the nurses protested, "He gave Ayami quite a clawing when _she _tried to pry him away!"

"I don't care!" The doctor hissed between clenched teeth, "This isn't a place for a Pokemon! Not even the patient's father is allowed in while we treat her! Get that thing away!"

Naoko looked back over to Char as several nurses, their clothing coated in the crimson blood that still flowed from her body, approaching the large Charmander. His eyes darted away from Naoko as they grabbed him around the waist in hopes to pry him away from his trainer. He began to flail and kick, his hand still wrapped tightly around Naoko's, unwilling to leave her or let go.

"_Let go of me!_" He hissed towards the nurses, though he didn't dare to release his flame upon them, "_I'm not leaving her! It's my fault she's here in the first place!!_" Of course, none of the medical staff could understand what he was saying, except that he was very perturbed at the moment. Naoko took her eyes off of Char and looked up towards the doctor. Although she felt very dizzy and extremely sick, she found the energy to speak.

"P-please…!" Her voice was weak and strained, and if the doctor had not been listening closely, he was most likely to miss it all together. He turned down towards Naoko with a concerned look on his face, "C-char…h-he has to stay here…let him stay, please!"

"Ms. Tsurjion, he's in the way of my team and he hasn't been properly disinfect—"

"I don't care!" Naoko protested as she held onto Char's hand as best she could, which wasn't much, considering she was quite weak at the moment, "I want him to be here." The doctor gave an exasperated sigh and nodded his head, as his underlings released the protesting Charmander from their grasp.

"…_Thanks, Naoko,_" Char muttered quietly as he shot a glare towards the two nurses, then returned his attention towards his ailing trainer.

"Sure." Naoko weakly smiled down at Char, the best she could muster given the situation.

"Ms. Tsurjion" The doctor began, "I'm Dr. Miyamoto, and I'll be taking care of you while you're in the ER and intensive care wing. You had multiple deep lacerations across most of your body – mostly on your torso and arms – and you lost a great deal of blood. Thankfully, your father got you in here in time so that we could begin a transfusion while we cleaned your wounds, and we are almost done stitching them up now. Chances are your scars will disappear in a few years, since the wounds are so clean. We'll have you in a room very soon, Ms. Tsurjion..."

Naoko slowly awoke from her sleep, wondering when she had dozed off. She was no longer in the Emergency Room, getting treated, but in a large room in the ICU. Unable to feel much of anything at this point, thanks to a morphine drip into her, as well as her blood transfusion, she slowly looked around the room. Seated next to her was her father, Shiji, with his face in his hands; and at the foot of her bed slept Char, curled up like a cat. It made her feel safe and secure, knowing that the two people she cared the most about were there, right with her. Turning her head back to her father, Naoko smiled weakly.

"Daddy…?"

Instantly, Shiji's head snapped up as soon as Naoko spoke, his eyes lighting up with both happiness and relief. His hand reached out and gently took his daughters, Naoko finding the warmth of his hand very comforting. He smiled as he scooted onto the bed, his other hand going out to lightly stroke her hair.

"Hey there, sweetheart," He said in a soft and consoling voice, "How are you feeling?"

"…I really don't know…" Naoko sighed and closed her eyes, "…I can't feel much of anything right now…which I guess is a good thing."

"Yes, it is," Shiji smiled down at her, "I'm glad that you'll be alright now. They just want to keep you here a few days, to make sure you're healing okay and to remove the stitches. They say that you should recover from this."

"I'm…I'm glad," Naoko said with a sigh, "Vermin and Char are safe, and that's what matters the most to me…" However, as she said those words, Shiji's expression changed from soft and concerned to a much more serious expression.

"It's because of your foolishness that you're hurt, Naoko," He said, his voice stern as he looked down into her eyes, the same eyes he had, "I know that Pokemon are important to you, as they are to me…but what you did was reckless. You could have easily been killed, stepping into that attack like that! If I hadn't shown up when I did, you would have—" His voice chocked as he spoke, his eyes closing as he tried not to think about the other alternative, "Naoko, you are my daughter and I love you dearly…I can't bare to loose another person so close to my heart. Your mother, she…" He couldn't find the strength to continue on with that phrase, his throat closing up around him. All that came out after those three words was a chocked sound, almost sounding like he was holding back his tears for his daughter. His hand tightened around her own in this moment, as if to reassure her.

By now, Char had woken up and had turned his head towards the two people before him. He glanced up at Shiji's expression as he muttered those words, how no other sound came out of him, and how tears where beginning to form at the corners of his eyes. Then, Char looked over to Naoko, only to see that she has averted her gaze from her father, to look towards the heart meter next to her. Her usually bright and cheerful eyes were clouded over and hazed, and had begun to water with tears. Even to Char, a character who seemingly had no emotion but anger, couldn't help but to feel sorry for these two. The subject of Shiji's wife was incredibly painful for them, and the weight of their sorrow just hung heavily in the room. Even Char could feel it. Whatever had happened to her must have been terrible, to bring such pain to both of them. However, he remained still and silent, saying nothing – for truly, he could think of nothing nice to say – and merely watched.

"…Daddy, please--" Naoko whispered, after what seemed like an eternity of silence, with a quivering voice as her tears began to flow down from the corners of her eyes, running down her cheeks and onto the linen bellow her.

"Naoko…what I mean to say is…I can't loose you, not after loosing Sam," Shiji gently placed his hand on her chin to pull her attention back to him, even though his own hand was shaking terribly. He swallowed hard again, so as to find his words again, and lightly brushed Naoko's tears away with his tumb, "You shouldn't have jumped in like that. It was dangerous and reckless of you, and you could have…you could have…you could have _died_, Naoko." He choked on that word as he spoke, "You're too precious to me to be killed…to me, to your wonderful mother in Heaven…to Hanna and Akira. You have to _promise_ me…please, promise me that you won't do anything that reckless again!"

"But, Daddy…!" Naoko protested, her eyes still watering with tears as she clutched the blankets, "I couldn't let Char or Vermin get hurt! Those Pokemon the Team Rocket people used where so strong, they could have killed--"

"I don't care, Naoko!" Shiji's voice had changed into a sharp yell as he spoke, his eyes staring intently down at her, "Pokemon are precious, wonderful beings, this is true; but _you _are more important to me to throw yourself into the fray, where you could easily get killed! Pokemon are more resilient then you think! That's why we're able to fight with them, otherwise, we wouldn't stand a chance! Pokemon are strong, and I know that Char would have been able to survive that attack, with proper treatment! Naoko, you can't _do_ that whenever you think your Pokemon are going to get hurt! They are a lot stronger then we humans are…they don't…they don't _die_ as easily as us! You have to understand that, Naoko." Naoko closed her eyes and raised one of her hands up, whipping her tears away as she angrily sighed, then looked away from her father.

"_I'm _stronger then you think…" She whispered softly as her eyes looked down towards one of the many wounds on her arms.

"Naoko you--"

"_This is all my fault_," Char suddenly said as he sat up, after listening to the father and daughter quarrel in silence, "_If I hadn't jumped the gun, none of this would have happened! So if you're going to yell or point fingers, it should be at me_." Both Naoko and Shiji looked towards the oversized Charmander as he pointed his claw at himself, though only Naoko could fully understand what Char had just said. She sighed and shook her head at her.

"Don't blame yourself, Char," She said quietly, "It was my choice to make to jump in and protect you…so you're not to blame for this, not at all."

"_Damn straight it's my fault!_" Char protested as he crossed his arms across his chest, giving a nod of his head, "_They only attacked because I attacked them first! If I had just bided my time and waited for the Champion to show up, then you wouldn't be hurt like this! I'm responsible for the chain of events, not you. So don't beat yourself up over it!_" Naoko blinked a few times at how…well, concerned Char was with her, and how he had turned a complete 360 since this morning in how he treated her. It was certainly…well, different, and she kind of liked it. She smiled and managed to push herself up into a sitting position, and held her hands out towards him.

"Thank you, Char," She said softly, "And…I promise that I won't do anything that stupid again. C'mere, you!" Char only eyed Naoko with a skeptical expression on his face, and towards her outstretched arms. He snorted and turned his head away from her and closed his eyes.

"_Just because I'm to blame for you to be in this whole mess doesn't mean I like you any more!"_ He snorted, "_I'm just…taking responsibility. I don't like you at all, and that hasn't changed._" Naoko sighed and lowered her arms, her hopes crushed under Char's good old nasty personality and his general distaste for her. Still, she couldn't help but to feel that he was somehow concerned with her own well being in some small, Char-ish way.

"Are you two going to play nice for now?" Shiji asked as he chuckled, glad that Naoko had promised not to jump into the fray…though he wondered if it wouldn't happen again. Naoko turned up to him and smiled with a nod. "Alright. I'll let you sleep then, sweetie," Standing up, Shiji leaned down and lightly kissed his daughter on the forehead, "I'll be staying here in town, until you're all better. I'll also look after Vermin for you, alright?"

"Yes," Naoko smiled up at Shiji, though she couldn't help but to feel tired, "…Thanks, Daddy. I'll…see you tomorrow, then?"

"Bright and early!" Shiji gave a thumbs up down towards her, "Also, I called your step-mother. She's going to fly in and come and see you."

Naoko's face practically lit up as she heard the good news about her step-mother. Although Hanna and Shiji had been separated for about three years now, she was more like a mother to Naoko then what little she remembered of her birth mother. It had been so long since she last saw Hanna, and wondered if her half-sister would be coming, too.

"That's great…it'll be wonderful to see Mama again," Naoko smiled up at Shiji, "Will Aki-chan be coming too?"

"Sadly, no," Shiji stated, "She has school to attend, and will be staying up with Professor Elm's family while Hanna is here." Naoko sighed with disappointment as Shiji lightly stroked her hair again, "I'll be heading off, then. Sleep well, sweetheart." With another kiss to her forehead, Shiji walked out of the room, leaving Naoko and Char alone.

Naoko smiled over at Char, who only gave a disgruntled snort in response, and with a light chuckle, she relaxed back into her bed and allowed her drowsiness to take over as she drifted off into a deep slumber.

By the time the late-morning rolled around, Naoko had finally woke up, for good this time, as the nurses kept insisting on poking her at all hours of the night and early morning. When she awoke, she came to a pleasant surprise, finding Char awake and alert, sitting on the edge of her bed and watching over her. Once her blue eyes regained their focus, she looked up into his and chuckled, which caused the moody Charmander to, actually, get a little red in the face. He snorted and quickly averted his gaze off to the side. Naoko giggled, and then yawned, stretching her hands high above her head, only to find that that movement tugged on her stitched-up cuts, and sent waves of pain shooting down her arms and sides. She winced and groaned, reaching out and touching one spot on her side that hurt in particular. To her surprise, Char practically _flew _from his spot and was soon sitting beside her. He store down at her with concern and, after hesitating for a moment, put a re-assuring claw on her shoulder.

"_Are you okay?_" Naoko was shocked that he was actually displaying a kind of concern for her, and flashed a nervous smile up at him.

"Yeah…I just think the morphine drip slowed down…" She chuckled, but found that even that brought pain as she winced again. Char gave an almost…_yelping _sound at this, and put another claw on her. He touched her so gently, so carefully; it was like he was handling fine china. So unlike him. He rarely, if ever, touched her; and if he ever did, she suspected that it would somehow be forceful in one way or another, not how gentle he was caring for her right now. Naoko could only smile up at him. "Thanks for your concern, Char, but I'll be fine." It took Char a few moments of blinking and starting before he realized that he was _touching _Naoko, and in a very gentle way. His nose turned a dark red color as he quickly removed himself from her, turning away, though he was especially careful enough not to hit her with his tail. The poor girl didn't need _burn_ treatment on top of her cuts!

"_I-I just don't want you dying because of me._" He muttered, "_I could never live with the guilt associated with it!_" Naoko only continued to smile up at Char, reclined back into her bed.

"Sure, sure," She stated and tried to refrain herself from laughing, as she knew it would cause her sides to split…quite literally. About to say something else to Char that would, inevitably, embarrass him further, Naoko looked up as she heard a light knocking on her door. "Come in."

The door burst open as a bumbling woman flew into the room, marched right up to Naoko's bed, placed a hand on Char's forehead and subsequently shoved him off, sending the small creature careening into the near-by wall. Her hands quickly made their way towards Naoko's own, grasping them firmly within her hold. Her large, brown eyes were watery as she cling to Naoko's hands, her lips quivering as she did so.

"Oh, Nao-chan!" She wailed, "I came as soon as I heard the news!!" The woman was fairly average looking; she had long, thick dark brown hair, held partially back with a pink headband while the rest fell in her eyes. She seemed to favor pink, as her outfit was mostly composed of a pink jumper sweater-vest with a white dress shirt on under it, with the sleeves rolled up, and an orchid colored calf-length skirt.

"_Who the hell are you, woman?!_" Char fumed from the corner he had been shoved into, and began to stalk towards the raving woman, ready to let her have it! The woman kept her gaze on Naoko, as her foot came out and planted itself on his head again, kicking him back into a wall. He smacked into it with a loud yelp and remained there for a moment.

"How are you feeling, baby?! Oh, those wounds look so painful!! I wish I was there to teach those damn Team Rocket members a lesson!" The woman wailed as she produced a handkerchief from her sleeve, and bit down on the fabric, "Oh, how much you've suffered, my little Naoy!"

"R-really Mama," Naoko said with a nervous voice, "I'm fine. It doesn't hurt too much, and the doctors say I'll pull through just fine."

"But it must be so hard for you, so young, to be laying here in your bed!" The woman wept. "But I'm glad you'll be okay, sweetie!"

"_Who the hell is this broad?!_" Char demanded as he recovered from his wall-kick and wandered over towards the two girls. Naoko shot him a dirty look that, for some mysterious reason, even made the Charmander cringe a bit, then looked back up to the woman.

"This is my step-mother, Hanna," Naoko stated as she gestured up to Hanna, who was still biting down on her handkerchief, "Hanna, this is Char. He's been by my side since I got hurt." To this, Hanna whipped around, removed the fabric from her mouth and her expression quickly changed from sad and weepy to bright and cheery. She gave a squeal and knelt down, and abruptly, drew Char into the tightest death-grip of a hug that had ever been recorded. He could feel almost like his bones where being crushed under the strength of this woman, his face turning blue as she shook him.

"Oh, you are just the sweetest thing!!" She gushed as she nuzzled his cheek, shaking him like a rag doll as she hugged him, "Thank you so much for taking care of my baby!" Char squirmed uncomfortably in the woman's arms, trying to squeeze away from this psychopathic bitch, who was even more dramatic then Naoko was! And they weren't even related! Finally, he managed to place his hind feet on her legs and pushed himself out of her vice-like grip, and rubbed his throat as he gained his breath. Hanna gave a giggle and made her way towards him again, but he slashed in the air before her, causing her to back away. To this, she responded with a playful chuckle instead of a gasp of surprise.

"_Get the hell away from me!_" He growled as he pointed at her, and for the first time since Naoko had first met him, she saw almost a kind of fear in his eyes. "_I don't want you to hug me again, do you hear?! I hate people touching me!!_" Hanna blinked her eyes a few times at him, then smiled brightly, reaching out and patting him on the head.

"You are just so cute!" She giggled in an almost school-girl fashion.

"_I am not cute!_" Char retorted, though his words fell to deaf ears.

"You really should get him some clothing…ooh! Maybe a cute little hat for him!" Hanna went on as she clasped her hands in front of her, "Yes, I think that would look stunning on him! A little black cowboy hat! It'll really go well with his dark orange skin, and give him a tough look!"

"_You are not putting a hat on me!_" Char, once again, pointed towards Hanna in an accusing manor, "_Or anything else, for that matter! Now leave me alone!_" Naoko gave a weak laugh at the duo.

"Mom, Char really isn't happy with you."

"Oh, I can see that!" Hanna said with a bright smile, "But he's so _fun _to tease! Look at how angry he gets!"

"W-well, if you're not careful—"

"_I am not fun to tease!_" Char hissed, cutting off Naoko's sentence as fire began to burn in his mouth. Hanna instantly noticed this and stood up abruptly, watching as the young Charmander lost control of his powers again. Unlike the first time, the fire wasn't in a long stream, thanks to Char catching this and clamping his hands over his mouth. Smoke spilled from his nose though, and he didn't look very comfortable. He almost had a look of someone who was about to puke, painted across his dark features. Once he was sure the fire had died down, he slowly released his hands from his snout and opened his mouth, expelling a huge puff if smoke. "_S-sorry…_" He coughed.

"I see," Came Shiji's familiar voice from the doorway as he headed into the room, "I can see why the Professor wanted me to take Char on…he has no control over his powers or himself yet, does he?"

"S-so you've noticed…" Naoko said as she flashed a weak grin up towards Shiji as he headed over towards her bed.

"How're you doing today?" He asked as he lightly kissed his daughter on the forehead.

"Fine, I guess," Naoko muttered, flashing a glance down towards Char, who had averted his gaze down towards the floor. In shame, no doubt. "It kind of hurts to move…I think I'm starting to feel the effects of these cuts."

"It'll be painful for a while, but it will go away as you heal." Shiji said with a smile pained across his lips. Hanna took this opportunity to sit down beside him, giving a light pat to Naoko's leg.

"I'm glad that you're going to be okay, sweetie…" She winked at her and gestured behind her, towards Char, "…Especially with someone as overprotective as your Pokemon is!" Hanna gave a giggle when she heard Char growl in her general direction, though he said nothing. "I can tell he already has an attachment to you!" She further slapped on the sap, making Char want to vomit, and at this, he couldn't _help _but to respond.

"_I am not attached to her!_" He said in almost a whiny voice, like he was trying to convince himself more then anyone else of his disposition, in an almost small-child temper-tantrum kind of way, "_I just feel to blame for this whole mess!_"

"See?" Hanna said with a quirky grin and an extended index finger, pointing at no one in particular, "He's just _wild _about you, Nao!" The phrase was dripping with very melodramatic sarcasm as she spoke, and the trio of humans couldn't help but to laugh. Hanna was known for her rather spontaneous, eccentric and somewhat flamboyant nature and she always found a way to bring a smile to Naoko's face. Even though she was not biologically connected to Naoko, Hanna still considered her as much of a daughter as she considered Akira. Smiling down at Naoko, she reached for her purse, "Aki-chan is really bummed that she has school to attend…she really wanted to see you again! So, instead, she wanted you to have this!"

From her bag, Hanna produced a large, and rather raggedy and torn Pikachu plush. Its fur was thick and, at its high time, it must have been a beautiful, fluffy thing, but had since fallen into disrepair of being in the hands of a 7 year old tomboy. Its once bright yellow plush had turned to a bit of a muggy goldenrod color, its fur matted and one of its beady black eyes was missing, as well as one of it's paws hanging on by only a few yellow threads. It even had a lot of stains, mostly mud and grassy in nature, and some other mysterious spots that lord _knows _what they came from. It was a sad looking toy, but well loved, and it was the one that Akira slept with every night, ever since she was a little toddler. With a smile, Hanna handed the Pikachu to Naoko, who looked at it with awe.

"She wanted me to have Chewie?" She said breathlessly, "It almost never leaves her side!"

"She said that Chewie always makes her feel better when she's sick…so she wanted him to be with you and make you feel better, Nao!" Hanna said with a bright smile.

"Akira must _really _care about you," Shiji's words came out as laughter as he looked at his daughter's stunned reaction, "If she were to detach Chewie from her hip!" Naoko only continued to stare up at the ragged stuffed animal with large eyes, and slowly, she pulled the old and smelly thing – as Akira refused to let Hanna wash it – to her, and lightly burred her face in its matted coat. Before she knew it, tears once again came to her eyes as she cradled the animal, and began to sob into its cotton make. Her shoulders shook and heaved as she cried into it, and both of her parental figures came to her aid. Shiji wrapped his arm around her shoulder and brought her towards him, while Hanna hugged her from the front, along with Chewie.

Char merely watched on, in silence, as he began to realize something about Naoko…there was always this kind of joy and happiness about her that he saw on the outside, but inside, there was more to her then just a bucket of sunshine and giggles. He saw it in her eyes…she was hurting. He didn't know what was hurting her, or why she tried to hide it, but it was all becoming clear to him now.

Naoko…she was lonely. More lonely then anyone else in the whole world, even when her family where right there beside her.

And Char wanted to be the one to alleviate that loneliness.

A week and a half had passed since Naoko had been inducted into the hospital, and her stay was drawing close to an end by now. Her wounds had almost completely healed, and tomorrow, the stitches would be removed and she'd be free to go on her way. Hanna had to return back to her home in Johto and back to her job and Akira, who was staying at the Elm's house. Shiji and Char remained by Naoko's side, and that façade she kept up, which Char had begun to realize, had returned. Still, he never once left her room – well, except to do his business – as he felt responsible for her being hurt like that. At least, that was his excuse.

Naoko sat upright in her bed, in her hand rested the remote to the TV as she watched a Pokemon Match. She kind of watched it half-heartedly, there being nothing else on the television at that time, and quite frankly, she was bored out of her mind. There wasn't a lot to do around the hospital, save for watching TV and playing cards with Char. The card games never went well, as Naoko always managed to beat him and he was quite the sore looser, eventually burning the cards up in his frustration. So, that left…watching TV. And Char wasn't being particular talkative either.

Sighing, Naoko looked over towards her Pokemon, and gave a soft chuckle as she noticed how intently he was watching the program. Every time she watched something on TV that involved a Pokemon battle, Char was mesmerized by it, studying it, the strategies and moves of other Pokemon. He was especially thrilled when an old rerun of some Pokemon League battles came on, watching so intently whenever a trainer made it up to Shiji, and watching Shiji clobber them. The difference between how Char viewed Naoko and Shiji where like black and white; Naoko was a rookie fighter who was more interested in Pokemon relationships and behavior, with a sunny disposition that hid her true nature. Shiji, meanwhile, was a man who commanded respect; he was powerful, had charisma out the behind, and he was a brilliant strategist and fighter. Char had only witnessed a few battles in his life, and by far, seeing Shiji in battle was amazing. He was quite the fan of the Pokemon League Champion, and would even shut his trap and remain motionless if Shiji commanded him to.

Knowing this, Naoko gave a sigh of regret. She knew Char was looking forward to be raised properly, and with care by Shiji, and that he would be more then happy to leave her. It disappointed her. Although Char disliked her and was often rude, course, and snappy with her, there was a fondness there that she couldn't shake. But…before she could finish her thought, a light tapping came to her door as Shiji walked in.

"Hey, Naoko," He said with a smile as Naoko turned off the television.

"_Hey, I was watching that!_" Char growled over at Naoko, though said nothing else as Shiji approached the chair beside Naoko's bed, and sat down in it.

"Hey Daddy," Naoko managed to force a smile over at him, "I'm glad that I can finally leave. Hospitals are not my favorite thing in the world…" To this, Shiji laughed and shook his head, smiling over at her.

"No one likes hospitals," He responded simply, "And…that's why I'm here."

"Eh?" Naoko looked over at her father with a confused expression, though as soon as she saw how serious his expression was. Instantly, her heart began to beat heavily in her chest, threatening to jump out. She knew what this was about…it was about Char. It had to be. Shiji sighed and shook his head, then looked back at her.

"When I found out that you were heading out, I gave Professor Oak a call," He stated, "He told me about your situation with Char, and being here myself with him and seeing how he can't control his powers, as well as his temperament, I can understand why the Professor wanted me to take him under my wing." He paused for a moment, almost as if to see if Naoko had anything to say, though she remained silent. How could she speak when her heart was in her throat? It had been what she was dreading. For a moment, Shiji's eyes softened, as if he understood what she was feeling, before he continued on, "Char is truly a unique Pokemon. I have seen my fair share of Charmanders in my life, and he is by far the largest and the strongest. But, unlike most Charmanders, who are placid in nature, he holds the fierce aggression of a Charizard, something which even some of the most skilled trainers have difficulty controlling. That aggression could easily backfire on you, especially since you have no real experience with dealing with such an aggressive Pokemon. My concern is mostly with _you, _Naoko. You've already been hurt because you wanted to protect your Pokemon, and if Char is this aggressive as a Charmander…I can't predict how aggressive he'll become once he evolves. He could easily take it out on you, and that is what concerns me the most.

"My other concern is that Char, despite his power, seems to have little to no control over what he has," Shiji continued on, his voice still stern and serious, "It's very rare for one of his species to have such a disability. It has occurred a few times, very rarely, but it triggers most when the Pokemon's emotions go out of control. Such as extreme anger, and with his temperament, it will only get worse, unless he is properly trained. Unfortunately, with your lack of skills, you'll be unable to learn how to control that, or to earn his respect. So…"

"…So you're going to take him away from me." Naoko's voice was weak and on the verge of cracking, almost as if she was trying to keep herself from crying. Shiji opened his mouth, but didn't say anything, closing it again and slowly nodding. Naoko drew her eyes away from her Father as she bit down on her lower lip, and looked over at Char. "I...I u-understand that, Daddy…"

"That's good to hear!" Shiji breathed out a sigh of relief, figuring that Naoko would resist or protest in some kind of way to the simple truth. "I'll be taking him when—"

"But…" Naoko cut off, "But I want you to give me a chance!" She turned her head back up to her father, her eyes no longer on the verge of tears, her expression changed into one that was very strong and determined. This caught Char's attention, and seemed to take Shiji aback. "Y-you don't have any faith in me, Daddy! I've always placed my faith in _you_, can't you do the same for me?"

"Naoko, it's not like that," Shiji said with a sigh, "I have every faith that you'll be a wonderful trainer, with your ability to love and care for Pokemon, and your ability to understand what they're saying. I know that you'll be great, one day, but you're still a novice right now. There is no way you can know how to control Char!"

"How can you know that I won't, unless you give me a chance?!" Naoko responded, "I know what's in my heart, Daddy, and I know that I have the strength and the will to learn! How can I know what I can and can't do unless I try?"

"Naoko, this is _different_!" Shiji, despite speaking with force in his voice, was not yelling.

"No, it's not!" Naoko, on the other hand, was on the verge of screaming, "Daddy, I want to try! I want to try to make Char understand what it means to have a friend, to be cared for! I don't want him to be put under a test tube, to only be seen as a great potential and be used and manipulated to that end! I don't want him to be forced into subserviently, to be forced to be someone he's not! I want him to be himself, to be free! I know that he has a lot of problems, but Daddy…I-I know I can do it!" To this, Shiji gave a rather angry and frustrated sigh as he put his fingers to his temples, rubbing them slightly. For a moment, he sat there, and then slowly began to talk in a low tone.

"It's not that simple, Naoko," He sighed again, "The only way to tame a Charizard, to teach it how to respect its trainer and keep it's aggression in check, is to _force _it! You have to be strong, you have to be stern, and you can't take anything that they throw at them! Naoko, you're too kind, to soft-hearted to earn a respect from one, and there is no way you can know how to control it. It's the only way. I have to train him properly!"

"But Daddy!" Naoko protested, "I care about Char! He's my friend! I…I _love _him!!"

"But does he feel the same way for you?" Naoko became silent as Shiji said those words, so calmly, her eyes wide in realization. Char had begun to show some kind of compassion, but he was still as rude and as angry as he ever was. "See, that's what I mean, Naoko. To raise someone like Char, you need to be _respected _by him, not _loved _by him. He will probably never understand or respect you because of that. You have to be his trainer, not his friend. Do you understand why I have to train him now?" Slowly, Naoko bit down on her lower lip, her arms wrapped around and clutched to Chewie, who was still in her possession. She nodded her head in response, and said nothing. Shiji gave another sigh, then smile as he reached out and lightly patted her on the shoulder. "Cheer up, okay, sweetheart? Once Char is properly trained and knows how to respect others, I'll return him to you. Does that sound like a deal?" Again, Naoko said nothing and only nodded. "Alright. It may take a while, but hopefully by then, I'm sure you'll be able to handle him."

"_And do I get a say in this matter?_" Char had enough of the father-and-daughter bickering, rambling on about what his fate would, inevitably, end up being. It bothered him that humans were discussing what was to become of him, while completely ignoring his own ideals and wishes! He had already made his choice, and now they went ahead and were remaking it for him! It really made in angry, and it showed within those intense eyes of his.

"C-char…" Naoko said, though her voice was barely audible beyond trying to keep herself from crying, and cracked horribly, from beyond Chewie's bug stuffed head. "I-I don't think it's for you to chose…"

"_I am not someone who can be controlled! I am not your slave!_" Char pointed towards Shiji as he said this, "_You, of all people, Naoko, would know that I'm an intelligent being with free will who deserves his voice to be heard! I have not been confined by you yet, don't you dare start doing it to me now!_"

"What's he saying, exactly?" Shiji asked Naoko, "I kind of know he's not happy with us making the choices for us…"

Char didn't even wait for Naoko to answer, as he continued on his tangent, "_I have a hell of a lot of respect for you, Champion, but as a person you're at the bottom of my list. I have a duty to uphold! I was sworn to protect Naoko, and since she got hurt like this…I feel like I'm to blame for this whole mess! It's my responsibility to take care of her now, at least, until the debt is repaid! There is no way I can live on with the guilt if I just go with you now, not when I know I'm at fault for this. She laid down her life to protect me, and I feel like I owe her a great debt. Once my debt is repaid to Naoko, then I'll go with you. Got it?"_ After saying words that only Naoko could fully understand, Char walked over to Shiji and store up at him, waiting for his trainer to translate. Naoko, for a moment, only sat there, speechless that Char was actually _refusing _a position to train under the Champion of the Pokemon League, in favor of being with her. It shocked her, in a pleasant way, and she couldn't help but to smile over at him.

"Char…he says that he feels responsible for what happened to me," She translated, "H-he says that he can't go with you because he feels that way, and that he wants to stay with me, until the debt is repaid for me saving him, then he'll go train with you." Char gave a nod and extended his claws out towards Shiji.

"_Deal?_" Shiji store down at the large Charmander and debated the option for a moment. A smile came to his lips as he realized that, with his regret for what happened and the fact that he felt he owed Naoko a great debt, he was already beginning to understand responsibility. It was a good sign, and maybe, just maybe, Naoko could do something about it. Reaching out, he took Char's claws and shook them.

"Deal." 

"So, where will you be going now, Daddy?" Naoko asked as herself, Shiji, and Char stood outside of the hospital, as the sun was beginning to reach its high noon point. To this, her father folded his hands behind her head and looked towards the horizon.

"Well, I have some things I need to take care of at the Pokemon League, as usual," He didn't sound too happy with that, considering all of the paper work that was usually involved with becoming a Champion, hence why so many young Trainers often gave up the position soon after obtaining it. "I really wish I could take you there, but I think you should continue on your journey. What's next on your agenda?"

"Hmm…" Naoko glanced down at Char, who had been looking at her, and chuckle as he quickly looked away. "I don't…really have anything specific in mind. I mean, I'm just kind of wandering around and collecting field notes and all. For Professor Oak, of course."

"Well, that's very good and all…but," Shiji couldn't help but to grin at this point, "Naoko, I think you should try to take on the Pokemon League Challenge." To this, Naoko looked up at her father with a very surprised, yet also perplexed expression written all across her face. Her eyes blinked a few times, she glanced down at Char, then back up at her father.

"M-me?!" She exclaimed as she pointed her index finger towards herself, "Do that? But…I know I have to train my Pokemon to survive out here, but…the Challenge? Taking on all of those gyms and eventually coming to Indigo Platau?!"

"What else would I be talking about?" Shiji was laughing at this point, shaking his head slowly and placing a hand against Naoko's shoulders. "I know you're still a novice trainer, but…I need to have more faith in you, just like you said. What Char displayed before was _responsibility_, and somehow, even though you're new to the whole Pokemon Trainer business, you have still taught him that. I believe you may have what it takes to become an excellent trainer, some day."

"Do you really think so…?" Naoko asked as a bit of a flush came to her cheeks, and even though it was coming from her father, it still made her feel embarrassed all the same.

"Really now, Naoko!" Shiji gave her shoulder another pat, "Why would I lie to you? I know I've raised you properly to respect Pokemon; Professor Oak would have _never _given you Char in the first place if he didn't think you could, at least, keep him under control long enough until we crossed paths…and besides, both the Professor and I have excellent senses of who will be a good trainer and who won't be." He continued to smile as he released his hold of Naoko's shoulder and walked away. "Give it a try at least. And remember, stay in contact with me!" Withdrawing a Pokeball from his belt, Shiji cast it aside with a flick of his wrist, and revealed yet another of his Pokemon – Ryuujin, the Dragonite. With another grin and a wave, he hopped upon the creature's back and it shot in the air, almost at faster speeds then Eienhi could achieve.

Naoko stood there and watched her father disappear into the distance, with a bit of a forlorn look on her face. Her fun time with her father close-by was over…but did he really think that she could do it? Take on the Pokemon Gyms across Kanto and, eventually, head up to the Pokemon League? Sighing softly, she looked down to Char.

"Do you really think I can do it?"

"_What the hell are you asking me for?!_" Char responded harshly, Naoko flinching a bit at his usual temperament. After all that time of him being reasonably cordial with her…

"Well, I just wanted your opinion on the matter, that's all." To this, Char folded his arms and snorted angrily as the duo began to walk. Reaching to her belt, Naoko withdrew Vermin's Pokeball and allowed her to reform on her shoulder, gently petting the Ratata on the head.

"_Naoby__ all better, yesyes?_" The creature asked in her cute tone and broken English, causing Naoko to chuckle and stroke the creature even more.

"Yes, I'm fine…" Naoko's voice grew faint and distant as she walked, heading towards the exit of Vermillian City, towards the next town. As the sun shone brightly overhead, she sighed as her eyes went skyward. That infinitely blue sky, as blue as the eyes she possessed, and as infinite as the possibilities her fate would have in store for her. Somehow, she found comfort in it, and the two loyal Pokemon she was with, and smiled softly.

"…Though I don't know what the future holds for us anymore."


	3. The Enigmatic Duo

"_Translated Pokemon Speech._"  
 

**The Enigmatic Duo**

            "Char, use Ember!" Came Naoko's voice through the crisp, autumn air, the large and beefy Charmeleon releasing a massive wave of fire from his mouth, cascading outwards to the unsuspecting Caterpie before them. Once the fires died down, it revealed the insect Pokemon to have fainted, the creature returning back to its trainer's Pokeball. The bug catcher store on at the charred earth that his beloved Pokemon had one stood, looking quite aghast at this moment. Sure, he knew that Char had the advantage, but he didn't expect his precious Pokemon to be clobbered so easily! Each one of them downed before he could even get a move in!

            "Holy…" He muttered as his eyes went over towards Naoko, who merely stood there with a pleasant look upon her face. She was cute, he figured; her hair much longer now and pulled back in a loose pony-tail with an orange ribbon, hanging over her shoulders, and her bright blue eyes betrayed the kind of skill she possessed with her triad of Pokemon with her. He didn't expect her to be that good! So cute and innocent looking, and younger then him, too! What the heck was up with that?!

            "Well, it looks like I won this one," She said with a peppy grin on her face, and then extended her arm, clad in a gold arm warmer, out towards her beaten opponent. "I hate to do this, so I won't take _everything_. You're too nice of a guy to rob clean of!"

She was replied with a grumble from the bug catcher as he fumbled in his pockets and withdrew a fistful of credits and disgruntledly handed it over towards Naoko. "No, no…" He muttered as he scratched his head, "You won and all…it's apart of the rules that anyone who has a trainer's license _has _to pay the winner of the battle for at _least _half of their salary!" Naoko sighed and carefully un-crumpled the bills, before folding them and placing them into a wallet she carried…which was quickly becoming far too small for the amount of credits she currently had.

"I really hope you do well, getting back to the next Pokecenter," She said softly, but received yet another incoherent grumble as the Bug Catcher gave a dismissing wave of his hand, turning on his heel and beginning to stalk off. "…Oh my. He seemed really upset about us beating him, Char."

"_It's his own fault for being so arrogant_," Char folded his now deep red arms across his chest, snorting a small tuft of flame from his nostrils, "_And for underestimating my power!_"

"Who's being arrogant now, huh?" Naoko muttered dryly as she looked behind her, towards her other two Pokemon: Vermin, much like Char, had evolved into her higher form, that of a Raticate, though she still remained as cuddly as ever and still wore that pink scarf Naoko had given her; and the most recent addition to the team, a Butterfree named Flutter.

"_Char taking all fun away!_" Vermin protested and stuck her tongue out between those large teeth of hers, but quickly replaced it when Char glared at her, "_Always jump in before Vermin and Flutter! No fun be you!!_"

"_Shut your trap!_" Char retorted with a dramatic point of his claws towards the much larger Raticate. Despite his ever-growing size with his evolution into a Charmeleon, Vermin still had him beat by a good couple of inches. It kind of egged him on a bit, as if he needed anything to provoke him.

"_You always steal glory, Char! Spotlight seeker!!"_ Vermin hissed back with a stop of her foot against the ground, raising herself up to make herself seem taller, which only made Char even more angry.

"Now now…" Naoko said with a sigh and a raise of her hands, though both arguing parties didn't stop their fighting.

"_Yeah, well, that's because I'm the best!_" Char said with a cocky grin and pointed to himself, "_Besides, you've really gotten too fat for that scarf of yours! It sucked before, but now it just makes you look even bigger!_"

"_I really wish they would stop sometimes…_" Flutter muttered to Naoko as she perched herself on her trainer's shoulder, folding her wings back, "_Though it is kind of entertaining to watch._"

"I guess so…" Naoko said with a sigh as she slowly shook her head, "But it is kind of tiring. And it doesn't help that Char snaps at just about anything these days."

"_True…_"

"_Char just jealous of scarf._" Vermin said with a confident grin, "_And Char jealous of Vermin, because Vermin be Naoby's favorite!"_

"_I am not jealous of you!_" Char retorted as flame began to swell up into his mouth, though it did not come out just yet, "_Why would I be jealous of an over-sized rat like you?! I could beat you any day of the week!_"

"_Just try!_" Vermin was oddly confident as she spoke, even though she knew full well that Char was a lot stronger then she was. She crossed her hands together and turned her nose up. "_Vermin be Naoby's favorite. If Char hurt, Naoby scold Char._"

The fire within Char's mouth instantly died down as he closed his gaping jaws together, swallowing hard as plumes of smoke feathered out from between his lips and through his nostrils. This happened whenever he stopped an oncoming rush of flame; he'd choke it down and smoke would pour out from his mouth and nose, and he always got the most uncomfortable looking expression…like a cross between being constipated and having swallowed something down the wrong tube. Although the past few months had been most beneficial to his lack of control, there was still time when flame would come out of his mouth unannounced, and he tried his best to keep it down. Even if it meant that he would have to suffer a bit from it. Once the uncomfortable feeling was gone, he glared over at Vermin with those cold, navy blue eyes of his.

"_Bitch._"

"_Attention-whore!_"

"Now, now, both of you!" Naoko sighed as she kneeled down between them both, causing both of them to stop arguing and look up at their trainer, "What have I told you about bickering? I don't want any of it when I'm around you, or anywhere for that matter. Do you _really _want me to stuff you _both_ back into your Pokeballs?" Both Vermin and Char shook their heads in unison. "Good. Now, promise me that you'll both be cordial with each other and at _least _tolerate each other's presence, alright?" Once again, the pair nodded in unison. "Good." Smiling, Naoko stood up and dusted her red-colored pants off, and walked over towards her pack, which she had set aside to battle the bug catcher. Lifting it up, she slung it across her shoulders.

"Alright then, are we ready to go?"

"_More then ever!_" Flutter gave a bit of a squee as she twisted in the air, hurriedly batting her wings after Naoko. Vermin gave a happy squeak and trotted up beside Naoko, humming a tune as they continued. Char, however, hung back behind the herd with his arms crossed, staring up at Naoko with his large eyes, watching her with a strange curiosity, as he recalled the past few months they had spent together.

Progress through the Viridian Forest was incredibly slow. It had been three months since Naoko was released from the hospital. Her scars had cleared up and had become much fainter then before, though they weren't necessarily things she liked to portray. The usually dark green leaves of the forest around her had begun to change to their autumny colors, as the late summer had rolled into early fall, and the girl had dressed appropriately. Heavier pants, the arm warmers on her arms, and a very fluffy sleeveless shirt where what she currently wore, though the crisp air had not yet become cold as of yet.

Commonly the path through the Forest, between Viridian and Pewter Cities, only took a week or a few weeks, but not for Naoko and company. She had decided to bide her time, enjoying the scenery of the beautiful and dense forest around her, and also to dive into the nature habits of the Pokemon that lived within. She had enough supplies for another two months, and was quite comfortable with her slow and steady progress. It also gave her a lot of time to train her trio of Pokemon, and both Flutter and Vermin where also contented to follow along with Naoko's slow but steady pace. Char, however, wanted to get out of this bloody fire-trap and go on with this Pokemon League Challenge that Shiji had mentioned, but_ no_! Naoko had to be a damn researcher over a trainer!

However, during these past few months, especially after the whole Team Rocket incident, Char had been rather…well, much more agreeable. He would listen to what Naoko had to say, even in battle now a days, since he felt it was apart of his responsibility now that he owed her for all of those nasty scars of hers. Although he was as moody and temperamental as ever, there had been steady improvements over his disposition, and he wasn't quite nearly as rude to Naoko as he used to be. In fact, there were times when he could actually be nice to her, which shocked his trainer greatly, but in more of a pleasant way then anything. But, of course, Char would never admit that he was, in fact, actually beginning to warm up to her.       

Amidst all of the reminiscing about the past few months, Char was brought out of this little flashback mode by a loud complaint from his stomach. He stopped in his tracks and placed his hands on it and turned a kind of dark purplish-red in the face, letting out a nervous laugh from his throat. Naoko had stopped and turned around to face him, chuckling softly.

"Okay, we can stop to eat." She said with that ever-present smile on her face, a smile that had not diminished since she left the hospital. That true self she hid behind that smile, that loneliness, had not since reared its head, though Char had become increasingly aware of how alone she truly felt, despite that gentle, warm and loving smile she wore. Loving…that very word crossed Char's mind and it befuddled him a bit, that same kind of odd color coming to his snout once again, though he quickly turned around so Naoko, or the other Pokemon, wouldn't notice.

"_N-no, we should keep moving_," He muttered between his fangs, "_I'm tired of this stinking forest, so my stomach can wait!_" To this, his stomach gave another loud rumble of protest at the fact that he wanted to keep moving, instead of filling his empty belly with, he had to admit, some of the best food he'd ever had. Naoko was a damn good cook. A hell of a lot better then eating that _awful _processed Pokemon food! That, at least, was something he was willing to admit, and just _thinking _about all of the things she had prepared for the group made his tummy rumble even louder.

"Nonsense!" Naoko had already taken her backpack off and approached a near-by fallen log, sitting down on it and placing the bag before her. "I'm kind of hungry too, and I bet Vermin and Flutter want some Lunch as well, right?"

"_Right!_" The two female Pokemon chimed in unison and they scampered around Naoko, sitting before her on the ground as she began to rummage out her cooking supplies from her backpack. With an exasperated sigh, Char threw his hands up in defeat and stalked over towards the group, sitting down on the soft grass below his scaly behind and folded his arms across his chest, snorting a puff of smoke into the air. Although his stomach wanted to stay, he wanted to move on and, right now, his stomach was winning the fight. He might as well not argue with it at this point.

By now, Naoko had pulled out her cooking gear and ingredients, and had piled some wood and underbrush below her pot. This was Char's cue to release a _small _amount of flame to start it. Although it seemed like Naoko was being too lazy to start her own fire, it was actually a training session for the once uncontrollable Charmeleon. By controlling the amount of flame he produced from his mouth, he could either burn all of the food to a crisp – which Naoko would force everyone to eat, so as not to be wasteful – or to simply start a fire that would warm it properly. Needless to say, such a simple task had proven to be beneficial and Char had gained a considerable amount of control over his flame, though it was still not enough just yet. It would take many more months of this simple task before he would have full control over himself, but Naoko had faith in him that he would succeed. And, with a small puff of fire from his lips, the fire started up and Naoko began to cook everyone their lunch for the day.

"_So did you see the size of that Pikachu we passed on the way here?_" Flutter asked Vermin as the two chatted together whilst the food was being prepared.

"_Yeah!__ It bigger then others!"_ Vermin said with a nod as she munched on an apple, contented to eat unprepared food due to her rather…well, rat-like nature. "_Must be strong._"

"_It might be!_"

Their chatter continued on for quite some time, mostly about random and trivial stuff while Naoko worked on cooking food that was both eatable for her, and for her beloved Pokemon, though Char hardly returned her affections for him. It didn't surprise her, and glancing up from the pan of food before her, she tilted her head and looked down at him. His eyes were right up on her, staring intently, though upon noticing her gaze, Char quickly averted his eyes away from hers and towards the shrubbery off to the side. That strange purpleish red color crossed his snout, and Naoko chuckled softly and returned her attention to the food.

But, just as she turned her attention towards what needed it, Naoko caught something out of the corner of her eye, and turned her head up and around behind her, towards the bushes. Char, too, was looking in that direction. Something…silvery rustled about in the foliage, and Naoko only caught but a fleeting glimpse of whatever it was.

"What…?"

"_So you saw it, too?_" Char muttered, his dark eyes narrowing slightly as he strained to see what was moving about in there, but the movement had since stopped.

"Yeah…" By now, Vermin and Flutter had stopped their previous talk and also looked in that direction, though both of them didn't see it happen. "Say, Flutter…correct me if I'm wrong but…there aren't any silver-colored Pokemon in this forest…right?"

"_None as far as I know…_" Flutter mused as her white-colored wings batted against the air, lifting her upwards and she moved over towards the bushes, flying over them so as she could try to find whatever it was that was rustling about in there. However, before she could get a good look, the bushes rustled again and, instead of a Pokemon springing out, a man dressed in all black did!

"Gotcha now, you little sucker!" He exclaimed as he tackled Flutter to the ground, the surprised Pokemon giving a loud squeak of protest as he did so.  In her flustered confusion, she let out a massive explosion of paralyzing powder from her wings, engulfing the strange man within its cloud, completely obscuring him from view. He coughed loudly amidst the cloud of powder. Naoko gasped and quickly hopped to her feet, covering her mouth as she used an empty pot to wave the powder away.

"Sir? Are you alright?!" She asked as she waved it away, and thanks to the fact that the man could not move, Flutter managed to wiggle her way out of his grasp, panting heavily as she looked down at him.

"Do I _look _alright to you, lady?!" He scoffed. Naoko quickly knelt down and touched the man's ridged body. It was amazing that he could even talk! Chances are that he wouldn't be able to move for several hours. Naoko had begun to go for her paralyze heal as she knelt down and pushed him over, but she instantly shot up to her feet and store down at him.

Adorned on his chest was a bright red R.

Instantly, Naoko's good intentions turned sour as she found her face turn into a deep scowl, and both Char and Vermin became noticeably tense. They had experienced Team Rocket before, and weren't too keen on facing them once more. And, as true to the actions of Team Rocket, there could never be just one. Sure enough, out of the bushes came yet another fellow, dressed in similar attire, leaping onto the scene.

"Hey, did you get--" His voice cut out, though, as he looked down at his crumpled partner on the ground. "Oh…I guess not…" The second Rocket Member didn't seem to notice Naoko and her triad of Pokemon, rushing towards his fallen comrade and withdrawing a paralyze heal, spraying it all over the other man. "Jeez, what the heck did you get yourself into?"

"Thanks man," The first responded, managing to push himself up to the ground once the potion began to take its affect, "Man, I saw a glistening thing, and I _thought _it was that weird-colored Eevee we were chasing and…poof!"

"…Excuse me…" Naoko said quietly, though neither Rocketer noticed.

"Oh man! You have _got _to be more careful!" The second urged as he helped the first up, "Man, we just had it, too! And then it vanished again! And then you get paralyzed…not our day, eh?"

"…Pardon me…" Naoko's voice was a bit louder this time, though she still went unheard by the duo.

"_And _on top of getting paralyzed, I think I stepped into some poison ivy!" The first exclaimed as he regained his footing.

"Not cool!" The second sighed and shook his head, "And man, jumping on that thing landed me _right _on top of some stinging needles! Those things hurt like hell, man!"

"**_HEY!_**" Char's loud voice boomed so loud across the forest that all of the Pidgey's flew from their perches in the trees all around them, taking to the skies in a hurry to get away. That, finally, got the two Rocket member's attention as they turned around to look at Naoko et al. It took a few moments to register with them that hey, there was someone there, and one rather perturbed Butterfree fluttering around Naoko's head. They blinked a few times, then the second pointed his hand towards Naoko and exclaimed:

"Holy crap! When did you guys get here?!"

"We were here all along," Naoko exclaimed as she folded her arms across her chest, "But what are _you _doing here?" Both Team Rocket members glanced at each other, and after blinking once, they wrapped their fingers around their Pokeballs and sent them flying.

"None of your beeswax!" They both shouted in unison, their Pokeballs striking the ground and releasing a Sandshrew and a Zubat, respectively. Naoko sighed and gestured with her head towards Char and Flutter to jump into the battle.

"You're in a world for hurt, lady!" The first exclaimed with a cocky grin on his face, "Sandshrew, use scratch!"

"Leech Life!" The second chimed in.

"Sleep Powder." Came Naoko's calm voice, Flutter shooting a massive wave of powder towards the offending Pokemon, sending them both into a deep slumber before they could even attack. "Char, you know what to do."

"_Now we're talking my language!_" Char laughed as he walked forward, and making a motion as if he was rolling up his sleeves, he opened his mouth and from it came a massive cascade of burning fire, engulfing the sleeping Pokemon within his lethal flame…and the offending Team Rocket members, too! They let out a startled scream, and once the fire died down, they collapsed to the ground on top of their duo of fainted Pokemon, who returned to their Pokeballs.

"Flutter, could you get this trash out of our sight?" Flutter gained an almost manic grin to her face as her wings beat heavily against the air, calling up a massive gust of wind that sucked the Team Rocket members up into the sky, and away from their present location. "Well…those two _certainly _weren't like Anubis or Horus…"

"_You're telling me!_" Char snorted as he folded his arms, "_Absolutely no challenge in facing them at all! Man, if we run across those two again…_" His eyes glinted dangerously, flashing his claws as that ever-so-devious, yet rare, grin formed across his snout, "_…I'll tear them a new eye-socket!_"

"You'll do nothing of the sort!" Naoko hissed down at him, "You're too still inexperienced to face them. Everyone needs much more training before we'll be ready for them again…" She sighed and hung her head, "I just hope we _don't_. My father won't be around to save us next time…"

"_Hmph__. I could beat them now with my arms tied behind my back!_"

"Char, don't be so arrogant--"

"_Naoby__!!_" Vermin's startled scream came up above the argument, causing Naoko to turn around and gasp in horror.

"Oh no!" The entire fire had consumed the pot and had set the pot _and _the food aflame! She rushed towards the blazing campfire and looked around frantically for a way to put it out, finding nothing but the soil between her fingers. She rapidly began to throw it on top of the fire, both Vermin and Flutter trying to frantically to put it out as well. After much fanatic tossing of dirt and grass onto the flames, they finally died down, but lunch was, essentially, ruined. Naoko gave a sigh of defeat and flopped down onto the ground, exhausted, but without anything to fill their bellies, she had no choice but to restart from scratch. "Lovely…just lovely…"

"_Do you think we can trust her?_" Came a soft Pokemon's voice from beyond where Naoko and her Pokemon sat. Sharp black eyes peered out from between the shrubbery before it, observing all that occurred before the creature and Naoko's frantic efforts to douse the fire, and then her exhausted efforts to make some lunch for everyone…take two.

"_I…I think we can,_" Came another voice, though it wasn't as soft or as gentle as the first, "_I mean, she did chase off the guys chasing us and all._"

"_But does that mean she won't try to enslave us or…make me…loose myself?_" The first said in a very meek and somewhat troubled tone, slinking back to its friend, hiding behind the other strange Pokemon.

"_I don't sense anything bad from her,_" Came the second in a re-assuring tone, "_She seems very kind. Did you see how she looked at that Charmeleon?_"

"_I…y-yes, I did._" The first seemed even more sheepish then before, "_He seems to be very troublesome…_"

"_Yes, but despite that, the look in her eyes said it all to me_," If this Pokemon could be seen, it would be smiling, "_She's a good person, and very caring. Maybe…she might be the one to help us. Despite his troubles, she cares for him deeply. I do not see a reason why we shouldn't go to her…it's…better then trying to run forever._"

"_I wouldn't mind running, if it's with you._" The other Pokemon cooed gently and nuzzled against the second one, who gently embraced it, "_B-but…how can we be sure? How can we know if she's really good…?_"

"_It's just…a feeling I have,_" The first sighed, "_Besides…do you really want to be alone forever? I mean, we have each other…but is that enough…?_"

"_…No…_"

"_Then we approach her. Maybe she can sense our plea and be the one to save us from the dark world we have been plunged into…_"

"_If you believe so…_" The first voice still seemed very nervous, "_I trust you. I always will trust you…and if you think she can save us, then I believe you._"

"_Good…because I don't want to go this alone. Not after I've found you…_"

"_Now we're cooking!_" Char exclaimed as he was handed a plated of rushed-together lunch, not even caring what it was and digging in, sloppily stuffing food into his mouth. He didn't care for manors, and it was something Naoko intended to teach him…and thusly demonstrated it by whapping him with her hand. "_…What?!__ Can't a Charmeleon eat in peace, woman?!_"

"Manors, Char!" Naoko scolded as she began to eat her own food. Both Vermin, despite being a bit handicapped with her gigantic teeth, and Flutter were eating with relative respect. Even Naoko was eating daintily. Char eyed her dangerously, though she only returned his cold stare. Grunting angrily, he began to eat with much more table manors, instead of stuffing food into his mouth like a shovel. His eyes remained firm on Naoko, though, as he continued to eat, and noticed she was smiling right down at him. His gaze averted itself from her eyes and down to his food. Damn her! She always got the better of him! Where was his spine now-a-days? Was he really becoming a bit…soft…?

The bushes began to rustle again and, turning her attention from her food, Naoko eyed the bushes, ready to leap forth incase another Team Rocket member should pop out again. Even her other Pokemon were prepared for the worst, but to everyone's shock, it was not a pair of Team Rocket members, but a pair of Pokemon instead.

The first was the most noticeable of the two. For one, it was an exceptionally rare Pokemon known as an Eevee, often considered a collectors item thanks to it's ability to evolve into just about anything. Most interesting was not the fact that it was an Eevee, but it's most…unusual coloring. Normally, they were a plain looking color of brown with lighter brown accents, but this one was a brilliant, silvery color, with white accents and wide, bright blue eyes that looked up at Naoko with a mixture of both concern and fear within those beautiful depths.

The second was another Pokemon of rarity, though not quite as much as the silvery colored Eevee beside it; this one was an Abra, a usually flighty Pokemon that avoided others at all costs, and Naoko found it a bit strange that it was walking out in the open, and with another Pokemon right next to it. They seemed to be together, as…well, friends at least, but just observing them, Naoko could tell there was something more going on between them…

"Hello there!" Naoko said softly as she placed her food down, getting up and approaching the duo. The Eevee flinched slightly and looked frightened, but the Abra remained firm and placed a hand on the Eevee's shoulder, as of if to calm it. Smiling, Naoko stopped and knelt down and extended her hand outwards. "It's alright. I'm not going to hurt you." She continued to smile softly at the pair, her voice gentle and sweet, "I'm Naoko. What are your names?" The duo of Pokemon glanced at each other.

"_She asks us like she thinks she can understand what we say._" The Eevee commented sheepishly.

"_Yeah…_"

"That's because I can." Both Pokemon looked up at her with shocked expressions upon their faces. "I know, I know! It must be weird for you to hear that, right? But…ever since I was a child, I've been able to understand Pokemon. I don't know why I have this gift, but…I want to use it for good, for my research."

"_You can really understand us?_" The Abra questioned, to which Naoko smiled and nodded gently. "_Wow…see, I knew there was something different about this girl, Eevette!" _ 

"_B-but what does it mean that she can understand us…?_" The Eevee, apparently named Eevette, whispered gently to her Abra partner.

"Well, it means that I can understand what your hearts say, Eevette," Naoko continued to smile at the pair, settling down onto the ground before them, "And, your hearts are telling me how deeply you both care for each other, and how much you want to have some company."

"_Amazing!_" The Abra exclaimed, and turned back to Eevette, "_Trust me on this. This girl…Naoko…she's the one to help us. To bring us out of our solitude!"_

"_I…I just don't know…_"

"_You said you would go with me anywhere, right?_" The Abra turned to Eevette fully, lightly placing his hands against her shoulders. "_This girl is where I want to be. Talking with her, seeing her smile…I can tell what kind of a person she is._" Eevette, meanwhile looked over towards Naoko and looked nervous again, then back to the Abra. He sighed and leaned his forehead against her own. "_Can we at least try for a while…? If you don't like it, if you don't like her, then we'll go out on our own…okay?_" Once again, Eevette looked nervously over towards Naoko, then back to the Abra.

"_O-okay…_" She said with a soft sigh and nuzzled her head against his chest, "_I'll…trust you, Aros. I'll follow you…wherever you go."_

Naoko only smiled at the pair and held her hand out towards the two. "Neither of you will have to worry about anything. You'll never be bound by Pokeballs; and you'll learn what it's like to be with a trainer who loves you as dearly as you love each other. I'll take care of you both, and as long as your together…who care's who it's with, eh?" She paused, and smiled even more. "So what do you say, Eevette, Aros…? Will you come with me and my friends?"

The Abra, Aros, smiled broadly and approached Naoko, placing his hand within her own, and Eevette following suit. Enclosing her fingers around their paws, Naoko gently shook them and smiled brightly down at them.

"Welcome to the team!" 

"_You know, I'm glad we made the choice to go with Naoko, Aros!_" It had been a week later since the pair of Pokemon had been taken in under Naoko's wing, and already she had gained the trust of the shy and rather nervous Eevee. She had fashioned a little collar for the silver-colored Pokemon, a beautiful pink silk ribbon with a silver bell attached to it. Eevette rather loved it, and Aros believed it fitted her quite well.

"_See, I told you it was a good idea!_" He laughed. He didn't have anything special to adorn him, at least not yet, but he didn't really mind. Considering most Abra's were very reclusive creatures, Aros was incredibly social and even helped Naoko with her research. He was incredibly observant and able to sense even the smallest pattern changes, and had since been inducted as her un-official assistant in her studies. Of course, Aros was more then willing to lend a hand, and hanging out with Vermin and Flutter was quite enjoyable to boot!

Naoko, sitting up in a tree with her notebook, looked down at the couple and laughed. "I'm glad you both are settling in well!"

Living with the duo of Pokemon, Naoko learned a lot of things about them, like why they were together in the first place. Aros was unlike any Abra she had ever known; he was friendly and sociable, but of course, even his fellow Abra avoided him due to their unsocial nature. More over, unlike all other Abra, Aros was unable to teleport. It was most unusual for a Pokemon so heavily reliant on the ability to not know it, but that didn't stop Aros. He wandered around the forest looking for a friend, which he found within Eevette.

She was a shy and reclusive Eevee who was constantly getting picked on by other Pokemon due to her personality, and the fact that she looked weird. More over, many trainers were trying to capture her, something she was reluctant to do. Most Eevee's were breed to want to become something more, to evolve into whatever their personality and trainer desired. But not Eevette. She feared evolving; fearing she would loose herself when she evolved, and she didn't want that. So, she ran away.

It was due to Aros' intervention one day, when she was being heckled by a particularly psychotic Pokemon, he used his psychic abilities to alter her physical form into something terrifying, scaring the other Pokemon off. Both of them, misfits and black sheep of their own kind, found company within each other's presence, and since that day, they were together since.

One other thing Naoko had picked up on that neither of them had openly admitted, was their deep devotion and love for each other. It was rather adorable. It proved to further her studies as well; at first, after studying all sorts of mating patterns and habits of the same species of Pokemon, it became apparent to her that Pokemon did not necessarily need to be of the same race in order to fall in love. Eevette and Aros were living proof of it, her soft smile returning to her lips as she saw them cuddle close together, watching the sun begin to dip down over the horizon.

But, looking down at a pair that had found their happiness at least, secure knowing that Naoko would never force them to do anything, or worrying about being captured by a greedy trainer, that flicker of her own loneliness appeared in her eyes. Char, who had been leaning against the tree, seemed to have picked this up, hopping up to the branch Naoko was on and hanging onto it with his claws, staring up at her with those beautiful blue eyes of his.

"_You alright there?_" He inquired, Naoko blinking and looking down at him. She smiled weakly.

"You're actually caring about how I'm feeling, Char?" Char turned red a bit and glanced away, hoisting himself fully up onto the branch.

"_O-of course not, fool!_" He snorted and folded his arms across his chest, staring down at the quartet of Pokemon below. Flutter and Vermin had joined Eevette and Aros, playing some kind of a game with each other. "_It's just that, sometimes, those four get on my nerves. They're too…sicky-sweet. Especially with the two new additions."_

"I actually think they're very charming," Naoko sighed and nudged him a bit, "But admit it! You like everyone. Or else you wouldn't tolerate them as much as you do!"

"_I do not like them!_" Char protested, though Naoko only laughed at him, "_And it's only because of you holding me back that I don't burn them to a crisp every time I see their faces._"

"Sure, whatever you say, Char." Naoko sighed and reclined back against the trunk of the tree, closing her eyes and taking in the sound of the forest around her; the wind rustling gently through the leaves, sending the sweet aroma of autumn into Naoko's nostrils. The sound of the Pokemon, settling down for the evening, and even the chatter of those that belonged to her mixed in with the noise. Sighing again, Naoko began to loose herself within the sounds of the forests, drinking in their sound, the feeling, the presence. The forest…it was someplace she truly loved more then anything. She hated to leave it, but knew that eventually she had to. To leave this spot, to leave this feeling inside of her heart. And, upon immersing herself within the sounds of the forest, Naoko began to feel her own solitude, her own loneliness begin to well up inside of her.

Char glanced over towards her to say something snarky about the situation, but his voice was caught in his throat as he noticed a single tear roll down Naoko's cheek. Looking at her, he was reminded of how she felt so alone, despite having loving Pokemon around her, and wondered why she felt that way. It didn't make any sense to him. Hesitating, he raised a claw up and lightly brushed the tear away, which caused Naoko's eyes to open and look down at him.

"_…Crying doesn't suit you._"

"Oh…" Naoko reached up to her eyes and found the tears forming there, flushing a bit and hurriedly wiping them away with her sleeve. "S-sorry, I just got a bit enveloped by the forest, that's all."

"_You don't need to hide it from me,_" Char grumbled with a bit of an angry tone to his voice, staring intently into Naoko's eyes, "_Look, I may not be as observant as Aros, I may not be as smart as he is either; hell, I'm probably dumber then Vermin is. But I know loneliness when I see it, child._"

"Char…?"

"_I know it because I felt it, too!_" As he said this, Char's usually loud and booming voice became rather quiet and subtle, turning his attention away from Naoko, "_I was an outcast, just like that vomit-worthy pair you happened to pick up. I'm bigger, I'm stronger, I'm moodier! None of the other Charmanders liked me, and all of the other Pokemon that crazed Professor had would even interact with me! I know what it feels like to be alone in this world, god damnit, so you don't need to hide it from me, got it?_" At this, he returned his gaze up to Naoko, who store down at him with a both shocked and confused expression upon her face.

Char…he was actually admitting weakness. This was terribly uncharacteristic of him, especially since he seemed to be doing it out of…an almost kind of pity for Naoko. Lately, he had begun to change from what he was before, for the better maybe, but it made Naoko wonder why. Why he was changing. Why was he beginning to show kindness for her. Why he was admitting weakness. It was just…so strange. Could it be that Naoko, despite her general of skill in training, was able to change his personality…?

"_The thing is, you don't need to be lonely, woman._" Char continued, considering the fact that Naoko was dumbstruck, "_You have a family that loves you, you have Pokemon that care for you, so you don't have a reason to be! It's not true loneliness if you really not alone. Alright?"_

"Char…" Naoko whispered quietly as she looked down into his intense eyes, "Are you…are you actually that concerned about me…?"

"_N-no, of course not!_" Even though he actively denied it, his snout flushed a bit, but his eyes did not leave Naoko's, "_It's just annoying that you're so lonesome, when you clearly don't understand the meaning! So don't be, alright?_"

"_Yeah, Naoby!_" Came Vermin's voice from below, causing Naoko to gasp and flush as she looked down at those four pairs of eyes, staring up at her with a mixture of concern and love displayed within them. "_No be sad! Vermin loves Naoby!_"

"_Even though I've only been with you a week,_" Aros began with a nod of his head and a grin on his face, "_I can't help but to like you. You are probably the most amazing human I have ever happened to come across…such a good heart in you, and such love you display for us…it would only be fair that we return it._"

"_I-I may have had my doubts…_" Eevette's voice was as quiet as it always was, but there was a determination to it, instead of her usual gentle tone, "_But, Naoko…I can't help but to like you! S-so please, don't be down. It makes everyone else sad. We need your cheerful spirit!_"

Slowly, Naoko slid off of the tree branch she was occupying and onto the ground below, landing just a few feet away from her little group of cheerleaders. Once again, she found tears coming to her eyes, but less of her sorrow and more of the adoration she felt from her Pokemon. Almost as soon as she came down into a crouching position, Vermin, Aros and Eevette rushed forward and into her arms, holding her and cuddling into her in a re-assuring manor.

"Thank you…thank you all so much…" She said quietly, burring her face into Vermin's fur. Tears just rolled down from her face, though she made no sound of actually crying. Sometimes, being with those who truly cared…it made her realize just how lonesome she could get. But…Char…he was right. This wasn't true solitude, not when she had a group of Pokemon who cared, and a family, despite being separated, who loved her very much. There was no need to be sad…but then again…it would take a lot of time for Naoko to get over her sadness, her empty feeling inside, and the guilt she carried around on her shoulders.

Char merely watched on from his perch. But…he couldn't help but to smile at how happy Naoko seemed to be…the happiest he had ever seen her…

"What do you mean, you _lost _it?!" Boomed a loud and menacing male voice across an open hall. Before him stood two very…well, bedraggled looking Team Rocket members, their outfits singed and their skin dirty and grimy; the very same that Naoko had beaten a week prior. They both looked down at the ground and made a lot of sheepish noises, and the man they spoke to was clearly not pleased with that response. "Well? Are you going to answer my question or not?!" Both parties being yelled at flinched.

"Y-yes, sir!" The first did not look up from his position, and his voice was cracking heavily as he spoke, "W-we lost the silver Eevee, Boss."

"So you've told me!" The man that the pair was speaking to was, quite obviously, the infamous Boss of Team Rocket, a person whose identity wasn't known to anyone but those who had direct contact with him. He was known as a fierce and cunning individual with a general distaste for failure, and an even stronger distaste for the weak. He was all about the rare and powerful Pokemon, and the more rare and powerful, the better. He was an incredibly intimidating individual, at least to those who failed in a mission, and these two certainly weren't going to argue with that. "But how could you have _lost _it?! I told you were to capture it at _all costs_. What part of that _didn't _you understand, you fools?!" Once again, the duo of Rocket Grunts cringed.

"W-we…we just lost it, Boss!" The second responded, though his voice was still meek and cracked just as heavily as his partners, "Y-ya'see, we were chasing that Eevee down, and this Trainer just suddenly showed up! Next thing we know, we get clobbered by her Charmeleon and gusted into the air with her Butterfree! She absolutely _destroyed_ us, sir!!" By now, his voice had come up above the quiet squawking it was before, to a more of a frantic shout. "T-there wasn't anything we could--"

"**_SILENCE_**!" Boomed the voice of the Boss, as his fists slammed hard against the arms of his chair, his dark eyes narrowing intently down at the pair of Rocket flunk-outs. Both looked ready pee their pants, ready to run out of there right that instant, but they knew that either of those options would result in even deeper anger from their Boss. So, the sniveling fools remained still, trying not to cry or anything as their Boss glared darkly down at them. "You two were certainly _capable _enough to handle the trainers that usually wander that god-damned forest! Why the _hell _didn't you do anything about it?! How could you be beaten by a mere _Charmeleon _and a single trainer?! Answer me that, you sniveling fools!!"

"B-but, sir!" The first one whimpered, sounding on the point of being on the verge of tears, "This trainer, she…s-she was incredibly good! Her Charmeleon was incredibly powerful…far more powerful then our Pokemon combined!"

"Y-yeah!" The second chimed in, "He must have been at _least _level 40!! I've never run into one so powerful…! P-please, sir, try to understand that we were nearly three times under powered compared to her!! She certainly wasn't a novice, like the ones we'd usually face in the forest!"

"P-please, forgive us!!" The first begged, falling down onto his knees and groveling at the shoes of the Boss, the second following suit. In response, the Boss sneered and shook his feet, getting those morons off of his nice, clean boots. They looked up at him with large, pleading eyes, but he ignored them. He made a dismissing motion with his hand.

"Both of you, out of my sight!" He commanded, both of them nodding their heads and turning to go. "Oh, and one other thing…turn in your Pokemon and your uniforms! I'm getting sick and tired of your failures!!"

"B-but sir!!" The first begged, "P-please, just give us another chance!!"

"I've given you _more _then enough chances!!" The Boss boomed, "Now get out of my sight, before I give you even _more _reprecautions for your lack of experience!" The two Team Rocket, or rather, two Ex-Team Rocket members cringed heavily, and whimpering, they slinked off, out of the room. Once they were out and the doors closed, the Boss sighed and raised his hand to his brow and massaged it. "Horus, Anubis, you can come out now."

From the shadows of the far corners of the room stepped the infamous duo of Team Rocket members, the ones responsible for Naoko's heavy scarring across her body. They had been there the whole time, listening into the conversation that played out before them. Walking out from their separate corners, they approached the Boss and knelt down before him, as if he was some kind of a…god…or something along those lines. With their heads bowed, Anubis spoke.

"They had quite the hard time, it appears," Her voice was cold and cynical as she spoke, looking up at the Boss with her sharp, golden eyes, "Especially considering it was such a simple task…I would say it's a shame, but they really _did _deserve what you offered them…if just that, Giovanni." Truly, Anubis and Horus be very high up in the rankings of Team Rocket, to be able to address the infamous Boss of the Team by his first names. Everyone else called him simply Boss, and only those he truly trusted and believed in could address him by his given and true name.

"Hmph," The Boss, named Giovanni, snorted as he leaned back into his chair and folded his hands across his lap, "Sometimes I can't count on the newbies to do the really important missions…" Opening his dark eyes, he looked down at the duo below his throne. "Anubis, Horus, can I trust you two to take care of it…?"

"Of course," The pair responded in unison.

"Excellent," Giovanni looked down at them intently, "Consider this your…forgiveness mission for what happened _earlier_, with that god damned Shiji's precious little daughter." He paused at this as Anubis and Horus stood up, preparing to be dismissed, before continuing. "Whoever this trainer is, I want her out of the picture. She could pose a _threat _to Team Rocket if this continues! Capture that Eevee, and take out that girl! Do you understand?"

"Of course, sir," Anubis replied as she put her hand to her chest, bowing at the waist.

"Leave it to us," Horus repeated the same motion that Anubis displayed. He stood up in unison with her and pushed his glasses back up his nose. "We will not fail you this time."

"Good. Now go! The sooner that brat is out of the way, the better!" Giovanni made a dismissing motion with his hand, "And do not fail me again…"

"Of course, sir!" Both responded as the turned to leave Giovanni alone, in silence. He smirked slightly once the doors closed, chuckling deeply in his throat as he glanced off towards the side, bringing up a monitor from his arm rest. Upon it was a display for some kind of…scientific research…of an outline of some kind of a strange Pokemon. As he store at the screen, his deep throated chuckle turned into an ominous, deep and maddening cackle.

"It won't be long now…not long at all until we can rule the world, my genetic friend! Ah-hahahaha!!"


End file.
